Anyone else being forced to tell your employer how often you have a bowel movement?

[idiotgardener]

I have insurance through my employer, and all of a sudden we are all required to fill out these "HealthQuotient" questionnaires with incredibly invasive, personal questions in order to have a CHOICE of insurance plan. If we do not fill it out, we will be assigned the "default" plan, which is of course minimal coverage.

It is being sold as a "tool" to help us manage our health, but it has "looking for ways to cut benefits or kick you out" written all over it.

I only got through a couple pages before I did not want to answer the questions (and you can't continue without answering EVERYTHING), but here are some sample questions from the Internet:

• How often do you have a bowel movement?
• Do you use recreational drugs?
• I practice safe sex with only one partner: (rarely, occasionally, always)
• What types of oils do you use most often in your diet?
• Is your primary residence located near any of the following: a major highway or street; an airport; heavy industry; a landfill or incinerator; an orchard or farm; high-tension wires or radio/telephone/radar antennas?

I guess I should add that technically, these questions are coming from the insurance company, but the site seems to be linked to my employer. Either way, why should I have to answer these questions to anyone but a doctor?

[Zoeisright]

1. Do you have any lawyer friends you can ask about this?

Sounds overly intrusive to me.

[Ship of Fools]

2. Whoa ...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. That has to be illegal.

How can they claim any right to this sort of very personal information?

I'd be tempted to talk to a lawyer.

Good God.

[Xicano]

52. I'd send a copy of it to the ACLU

I agree that it has to be illegal.

[MedicalAdmin]

68. They can claim a right to ASK for that.

And the reason they can claim that right (to ask, not the force an answer) is that they ARE providing an alternative. So you have that option.

Understand that I think this is overly invasive questioning and I don't like it. And if you are going to talk to a lawyer, then pick one with experience in insurance law, specifically one who has experience in suing health insurance companies.

But I can save you the money and tell you that the laws are written by and for these companies and given that they are providing an option for coverage if you choose to not answer that questionnaire, then you have no recourse. Sorry.

Good luck.



PS - final advice. Don't lie in a way that can be verified, but you can answer most of those questions with general answers that show basically good health. Check online. Example: bowel movements = 2 to 3 per day. (someone in good health will have one bowel movement per meal +/-). You don't have to be completely truthful for a lot of these questions, just makes sure that the ones that are verifiable are truthful as far as you know. Even with a fill in the bubble form, you can always add comments in the margins. Just make sure that you keep a copy of every document you hand to them. If it is online, then call and request that you get a paper copy of the form to complete at home.

[idiotgardener]

88. Thanks...

I had already decided to keep a copy and a copy of the Terms and Conditions too. I am pretty sure they are going to FORCE me to lie because you can't write in an answer, it's multiple choice. And I saw something on there about meat, which I don't eat, but I think the choices are "Regularly, Occasionally, Rarely".

[badtoworse]

4. This is a new one on me

Pretty outrageous.

[JoePhilly]

5. Yea, but I thought it was because they love me.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Yes!

Omigod. My husband was filling out the questionnaire online which asked if he checked for lumps in his scrotum on a frequent basis.

So now our medical information will end up on some database which will be sold to God knows who.

[MedicalAdmin]

69. That information will not be sold....

... but it will be shared. All health insurance companies pay a bit each year to maintain a combined national database that they all use. If you disclose anything to an insurance company, all of them have access to that info.

At our clinic we also do some genetic testing and it is the one test that we WILL NOT let patients put on their insurance. They pay cash and we keep the records in a part of the the chart that is NEVER release to anyone except the patient. Genetic tests are commonly used to deny future treatment.

[The Backlash Cometh]

87. What an evil world we live in.

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. The only such question I have is "Do you smoke" - non-smokers are

eligible for an 80/20 plan, while smokers have to take a 70/30 plans (possibly with a differential on co-pays, as well - I don't know because I don't smoke (anymore) so I didn't really pay attention).

[DURHAM D]

14. So ironical in the state that gave us brightleaf tobacco. nt

[yardwork]

51. Don't forget the Body Mass Index (BMI). Obese state employees are forced into 70/30 too.

I think with the newly negotiated state health plan in NC they dropped the BMI requirement, maybe. What's so sad and stupid about this is that people addicted to tobacco and people who are struggling with their weight need more access to healthcare, not less. This punitive attitude - throw the weak and sick into the street - goes against 100 years of public health progress.

[MedicalAdmin]

71. I agree.

If they try to force you into the 70/30 request a body mass test that gives objective data on lean body tissue to fat tissue ratios. They will probably say no, but you can ask. And then if you get the 70/30 see if your doc will order it. If the test doesn't support the BMI, then you could use that to get shifted next enrollment period.

[Maccagirl]

8. I have to pee in a cup every time I go for a job interview

this has been going on for a long time, and I know I'm not alone.

[badtoworse]

9. That's not for insurance purposes

[Fumesucker]

19. That's not entirely true..

Insurance companies are driving drug testing to some extent, refuse to extend coverage to those firms who do not drug test their employees..

[badtoworse]

27. I didn't think companies needed pressure to drug test.

My last six jobs required a drug test and that goes back 26 years.

[Fumesucker]

41. That's one of the reasons..

Part of liability insurance coverage conditions.

[BigDemVoter]

60. Same here

past 30 years, pee in a cup with each job change. . .

[scorpiogirl]

48. Strange...

That's the reason my husband, a legal MMJ patient, is always given by companies when rejected for testing positive.

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

63. Interview ? or have a contingent offer ?

[GoCubsGo]

86. I don't know what field you're in, but I've never had to pee for an interview.

At most places, they wait until they actually hire you for that.

[cui bono]

10. This has gotten way out of hand.

What business is it of theirs how many sexual partners you have? Or any of that stuff. Fuck.

[Blue_In_AK]

11. This can't be legal.

Do you know any employment law attorneys?

[HipChick]

12. Our Employer did the same...

but since there is no way to verify the information you are providing...

[idiotgardener]

13. I haven't read the pages and pages of "Terms and Conditions"

but I would guess they include something like "Failure to provide correct answers can result in loss of coverage".

[HipChick]

20. Agree...but how are they going to prove your bowel movements?

[idiotgardener]

31. Yeah, it would work on some questions

but many things are verifiable (whether my house has natural gas, my weight, etc.)

[craticdemo]

15. Holy shit.

That is NOT cool.

[Lochloosa]

44. Welcome to DU craticdemo

:toast:

[mysuzuki2]

16. Lie, invasive personal questions do not deserve truthful answers.

[unblock]

25. that would void the insurance. better to just refuse to fill it out and take the default insurance

or find it elsewhere, if possible (partner's insurance, e.g.)

[MedicalAdmin]

75. Do NOT lie. That is seriously bad advice and could lead to ...

... denial of insurance or could lead to the insurance company asking for a rescission, which is when the insurance company gives a huge bill to your company and says they will not ask for payment if certain conditions are met. The conditions are a list of demographics that are so specific that it will only fit your descriptions (and by using demographics they can claim that they didn't target you but rather a demographic class).

However, having said that, you can, shall we say, massage the message in those areas that are not verifiable.

[Ilsa]

80. You can't lie about anything verifiable. I would selectively lie. I would answer "daily"

if they are asking about my BMs, etc.

This really creeps me out and angers me. The point of insurance is to spread risk. These goons want to identify all risk. I suspect their excuse is to charge higher premiums if they determine someone is in a higher risk pool because their BMs are irregular or they have more than one sex partner.

[Randypiper]

17. Are the questionnaires anonymous?

These could label you with preexisting conditions.

[HipChick]

21. No...they are not..

[idiotgardener]

33. No, they are a "tool" to help me identify areas for improvement...

or that's what the promotional emails say. They want me to think it's about preventing medical problems.

[Mz Pip]

34. To help you?

IF that's the case, why do you have to share the info?

I'd talk to a lawyer or to a union rep if you have one.

[Randypiper]

35. If that is what they are for

then the questionnaires could be anonymous.

[yardwork]

54. They want to identify people at higher risk for getting sick and force them to pay more.

You recognize exactly what this is about. It's a "tool" for them to use to identify higher-risk employees, force them into paying more for their health coverage. Since none of this is anonymous, there's also a very real possibility that they'll use your personal health information for nefarious reasons.

This is why people are occupying the streets. This has got to stop.

[idiotgardener]

56. Right. And I think I'm a pretty low risk.

But it makes me sick to answer these, and the point of an insurance pool is to spread the risk, right?

[zappaman]

18. I'm not FORCED to, I just LIKE to

"Hey boss, just left a nest of eels in the bathroom bowl. Check it out!"

[yoyossarian]

65. BWAA-HAAA-HAAAA!

You do Zappa proud!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[unblock]

22. my understanding is that the can make you answer these questions

at least if you want to participate in their group insurance policy.

HOWEVER, your employer is not entitled to look at the answers. you're allowed to send them DIRECTLY to the health insurance provider who they're talking to OR put them in a SEALED envelope to human resources, who must sent it to the health insurance provider unopened.

the downside, of course, is that when you do this they'll know you did this and if the group application is rejected or comes back with high premiums, they're likely to assume you have an expensive condition. note they might make this assumption even if you don't and it was someone else who triggered the rejection or higher rates.

they're not supposed to take advantage of that information, but things happen in the workplace that often can't be proven.


disclaimer: i'm not a lawyer; it would be a good idea to check with a real one.

[lunatica]

23. It strikes me that they intend to eliminate coverage for a slew of things

If you live near a major highway you may get cancer from breathing fumes. If you have sex with more than one partner they'll refuse to cover you in case you get AIDs. By recreational drugs they mean "do you smoke or drink?" That covers eliminating you for cancer and cyrrhosis of the Liver. The oils you use in your diet can cause hardening of the arteries leading to heart attacks.

they're covering all the possible illnesses that might occur from your activity. And if they don't get you with the recreational drugs, they'll get you with the oil you cook with. And that last question just covers all the bases, just in case they can't find something else to eliminate you with.

Just call it the insurance company's elimination list.

[woo me with science]

24. Be proactive and give them a sample.

:grr:

[Buns_of_Fire]

43. But only ONE sample won't prove much. They're apparently not interested in QUALITY, but in QUANTITY.

So, either they can accept dated, signed, and notarized deliveries of Poo Proof -- my company has trademarked the term "Poof" -- or (as some of the more progressive companies will do) simply accept a call to their verification department within one hour of said activity, or use their web site to log each occurrence (pictures optional).

Either way, this is a very strange area they're getting into.

[court jester]

47. That was a Doozy!

(...)

[KamaAina]

26. 1. Once every week or two.

But man, is it a doozy!

2. Just meth and PCP.

3. Only one partner? That is so 20th-century.

4. 10W-40.

5. Does that include my backyard landfill?

:sarcasm:

[ThomWV]

28. At my age its utterly impossible to predict with any certainty

[Magoo48]

72. No shit!

[elleng]

29. Helluva 'question'

'I practice safe sex with only one partner: (rarely, occasionally, always)'

Have you stopped beating your wife?!!! Yet?!!!

[gkhouston]

42. A "no" to that question could mean all sorts of things.

1) You do practice safe sex, but with multiple partners. (Define multiple: more than one person at a time, more than one person over the span of X days/months/years...)

2) You don't practice safe sex, with an unknown number of partners. Anything from a full-blown nonstop orgy to occasional nookie with a monogamous spouse could be "unsafe".

I also like vague terms like "near a major street". How near is the street? How major is it supposed to be?

[elleng]

49. Exactly. Worthless.

[noamnety]

58. There's a third option

a no would also be correct if you are celibate, which would stupidly lump you with the higher risk group.

[gkhouston]

62. True. n/t

[Downwinder]

30. You are downwind of Fukushima, what more do they need?

[libodem]

32. How could a person not be tempted

To paint themselves in a good light. No transfats, impulsive sexual activity, or substance abuse. Of COOUURRRSSSSE I never taste the fat on my t-bone. No butter for me. Bwaaaahhhhhaaaa!!!!!1111!!!

[WillowTree]

50. Read the "Terms & Conditions"

Get caught in a lie and they may have grounds to rescind coverage.

[Still Blue in PDX]

36. Yes. Every stinking year it has to be updated.

The funny thing is that the departments that have 100% participation are rewarded with a pizza party.

. . . or maybe that is the school supply drive.

:banghead:

[tridim]

37. I wonder what the correct answer is to the BM question?

The Internet is all over the place on the issue.

[pipi_k]

55. I guess I would tell them...

"Often enough to make me happy, not so often I can't leave the house".

Let them figure it out...

[court jester]

38. It will be worse than that, the "Health Insurance Reform" includes huge government data centers

and anyone with a password will be able to call up stuff like that any time they want.

The whole privacy thing wasn't even debated during the "HIR" scam, can't imagine why that was.

"As part of its implementation of Obamacare, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has proposed a new federal regulation to require private health insurance companies to give the government all the health records of every person they insure. The rule is shrouded in the usual bureaucratese, but, as Huelskamp pointed out, “abstract terms are used to distract from the real objectives of this idea: no matter which ‘option’ is chosen, government bureaucrats would have access to the health records of every American — including you.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius claims the government must have the records in order to evaluate the performance of health insurers. Aside from the absurdity of having federal health bureaucrats rating highly specialized job performance, the proposal raises a gigantic red flag: Federal and state governments have proven repeatedly in recent years that they are all but incapable of fully protecting sensitive records of individuals.

Remember this headline, “Personal info of 26.5 million veterans lost”? It happened in 2006 when a federal data analyst took a computer disc home containing the Social Security numbers of the veterans. It was lost when the bureaucrat’s home was burglarized. Or how about the incident in 2007 when a disc containing the Medicaid records for 2.9 million Georgians disappeared? In 2009, it was Medicaid claims data for 68,000 Californians. Last year, the Medicaid records of more than 280,000 Pennsylvanians were compromised when a couple of flash drives went missing.

No matter how strenuously and often Sebelius promises that things will be different when the Washington bureaucracy gets its hands on your health records, it’s impossible to think there won’t be similar episodes in the future. The difference will be the magnitude of people affected and the inability of the victims to do anything about it.."

http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/2011/10/obamacare-will-put-patients-records-risk

Many, if not most, people haven't even figured out yet that in 2 years they will be mandated to purchase insurance from a for profit company (unless their work provides it) and provide proof on their 1040 of "acceptable" insurance, this will go over even better then...

[Mimosa]

40. Republicans used to post stuff like this.

I don't know why government under single payer would be as intrusive under providing care for all.

[bluestate10]

74. Exactly. nt

[tomp]

84. i wouldn't mind the govt having the information....

....if i could trust the govt. or the insurance companies.

i work in psychiatry. people lie outright to me all the time. i'd like to know a patient's real story in order to provide better treatment.

i also think it behooves us all to make sure we have a system that doesn't encourage people to make up psychiatric symptoms in order to have a place to stay or get a few meals.

[Mimosa]

39. Single payer would have helped us avoid corporate 'poop' spying n/t

[RebelOne]

45. Check this out.

College Repuires Employees To Reject Homosexuality

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A university in Rome is causing controversy by asking employees to pledge to reject certain sexual practices.
All employees will be required to sign a personal lifestyle statement saying, "I reject as acceptable all sexual activity not in agreement with the Bible, including, but not limited to premarital sex, adultery,

www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/college-requires-employees-reject-homosexuality/nFNzd/

[MedicalAdmin]

77. Given that college policy...

... I wonder where the orgy room is on campus for the administration?

[Mimosa]

93. They should not allowed to accept Federal money or Fed backed student loans.

[hughee99]

46. Ask who specifically wants to know this,

and offer to go to their office to take a dump whenever you feel the need. That way, they'll know your not lying.

[yawnmaster]

53. why should you have to count??? send it to whomever wants to know and let them count. eom

[idiotgardener]

57. Thanks for the laugh :-)

[snagglepuss]

59. How I would oblige them. Tell them you have two BMs per day, if they

don't believe you, extend an invite. Who they gonna call? Easy to answer the drug question as dodn't ask whether you use drugs for non-recreational use. As for safe sex, answer always with one partner, just don't mention serial monogomy. As for the oil, claim ti use only extra virgin olive oil and canola oil, olive because it is mono-unsaturated and therefore good for the heart, canola for the relatively high amount of omega 3 fatty acid it contains.

[Safetykitten]

61. Ah, another in a series of "I had no idea" items that effect life among the lowly.

Yes folks, I had to answer this also. Along with very detailed questions about all manner of my health, so I can get insurance.

And yes, they still charge 5 bucks to cash a check at a bank you have no account at.

Oh, and they still fingerprint you when you do it...

And incredibly still, they run a credit report to open up a checking account.

But again, we cannot blame the people here that have never experienced such things, but in time they will have first hand experience.

Meanwhile, that economy is going gangbusters!

[yoyossarian]

64. I guess I'm kinda a smart-ass... so here's MY answers:

• How often do you have a bowel movement?

Nearly EVERY TIME an asshole that is not my own asks me this question... other than that, never.

• Do you use recreational drugs?

Why, you got any?

• I practice safe sex with only one partner: (rarely, occasionally, always)

Me too! (kinda) I practice safe sex with only one partner at a time, only I always do it rarely, occasionally... sorta. Does that answer your question?

• What types of oils do you use most often in your diet?

Sweet black crude, mostly... not my fault, though, it's in the goddamn tap water.

• Is your primary residence located near any of the following: a major highway or street; an airport; heavy industry; a landfill or incinerator; an orchard or farm; high-tension wires or radio/telephone/radar antennas?

Yes, it is uncomfortably close to nearly all these things... but I'm just not ready to kill myself yet, despite this. Does that make me a BAD person?

Why should I have to answer these questions to anyone but a doctor?

Because dictators know best!

Oh, btw, I ALWAYS LIE on questionnaires (sometimes)... does that make me a BAD person?

___________________________________________________________________________________________


A serious answer is much harder. No matter how you answer this kinda crap, you're damned if you do or damned if you don't. So good luck; if you really need the job, you might try pretending you "no speak-a-dee-englaze", or just admit from the git-go that you're a BAD person, and beg for leniency.

K&R!

[xchrom]

66. ...

:mad:

[quaker bill]

67. I have had some curious questions

but that one has not come up yet. We did have a wellness survey, participation in the program got me an extra day of vacation, and participation was on their time.

[PotatoChip]

70. No I don't, thankfully.

And I hope it stays that way. These questions are very disturbing. Yikes!

[BiggJawn]

73. What if I'm not sexually active?

I'd have to answer "rarely" to the question about having safe sex with only one partner, wouldn't I?
And then that would probably flag me as loose cannon...

[TNLib]

76. Yep I work for a health insurance company

If we don't go for a company health screening and fill out a health assessment they charge us extra for health insurance. On the upside they also pay us quarterly to exercises and participate in certain company fitness programs. So were I work they use the carrot stick approach I'm just hoping they don't take away the carrot.

[tawadi]

78. Privacy does not seem to be a right any longer

Sadly.

[Ezlivin]

79. They only hire the anal retentive

If you can't hold a load for more than 24 hours, you're not the droid they're looking for.

[Bosso 63]

81. Bowel movement? bowel movement?!

We don't need no stinking bowel movements!

[slackmaster]

82. Are there any questions regarding the presence of firearms in your home?

TIA

[Bosso 63]

83. In my home? . . . . .no not in my home. . . .

But stay out of my cubical!


"I can't sleep 'cause my bed's on fire
Don't touch me I'm a real live wire"

[H2O Man]

85. submit samples

[lonestarnot]

89. Prollee linked straight to Koch (crotch) brothers and Northern toilet paper.

[Throd]

90. "I sometimes shit myself from too much heroin before those orgies near the airport".

I always eat at McDonald's on the way back home.

[SOS]

91. Avoid all this nonsense by being rich

"Cadillac" plans cost about $40,000 a year per person.

Just get one of these, no questions asked.

Peeing in cups and answering stupid questions is reserved for the abused majority.

[Rhiannon12866]

92. The only time I was ever asked such a thing was when I was actually in the hospital...

x(