I had my Obamacare physical this morning. The physical is encouraged by the government to be administered each year and it is paid “in full”. I guess the idea is preventative care. I had been told that I needed to allow more time for this physical because of Obamacare.
Most everything physcially was the same. They took the normal blood tests and checked all the vitals. Yeah, I had to cough (twice).
The big difference was the questions. I was asked a lot of questions about my life style by the attending nurse. I was asked a second time by the doctor. So there was redundancy (possibly to catch lying).
I was asked if I wore seat belts when I drive? What has that to do with my health?
They wanted to know if stairways at home had railings?
Did our bathtub and shower have hand rails for stability?
You get the idea. I guess the questions are relevant to my lifestyle but why does the government need to know that info.
One question related to whether we had a Will and/or Healthcare Power of Attorney. This one is hard to argue because if they have documents on file, they might make better judgements if it is necessary to “pull the plug”. I was asked to provide the documents. Yeah, right!
When the physical was all over, I asked if I could get internet access to my medical records. The answer was yes but I needed to fill out a form including my Social Security Number. I was reluctant to provide the SSN but I did. On the way home it dawned on me. When you qualify for Medicare A insurance at age 65, they issue you an insurance card. Your Identification Number on the insurance card is mostly made up of Social Security Number info. The doctor, the hospital and anyone with access to your medical records can get your SSN. Dah!
So I fought the good fight. I tried to resist as many questions as I could but in the end, “Big Brother” won. Damn. I tried!
The Packers (of whom I am part owner) play their first pre-season game Thursday. Whoa.
Love,
Dad