And, the doctor may not have a choice. Even if they’re asking for purely medical-history reasons, they may have to put the information into a system (according to their employer or insurance company or for their own records), and that system may be subject to information gathering from hostile parties.
That entirely depends on where you are going, what insurance networks they deal with, and what the appointment was scheduled for.
Going in for a sinus infection, yeah that’s probably not going to be necessary. Going in for a women’s wellness check up? They are probably going to have to input something depending on the forms the institution uses for electronic medical records.
Certain insurances will utilize specific metrics to determine reimbursement. If you don’t document certain information they may use it as an excuse not to reimburse the provider.
In some anti-abortion states, the information in question can potentially be used as evidence in a murder trial for having sought an abortion. A prosecutor can potentially use the timing of that previous period to suggest fetal age at the time of a future abortion may be greater than the law allows.
Doctors don’t need that information. Insurance companies surely don’t need that information.
In some anti-abortion states, the information in question can potentially be used as evidence in a murder trial for having sought an abortion.
Yes, I understand that. I practice pediatric medicine in the most conservative state in the nation.
Doctors don’t need that information.
Again, this is circumstantial. Menstruation cycles are still very important to certain types of medical care. It is unsafe to suggest that no doctor can be trusted with this type of information.
Most of the reasons why physicians ask these questions is purely out of concern for your health and for liability purposes. Certain medications can be dangerous to prescribe to a person who is unknowingly pregnant.
Insurance companies surely don’t need that information.
I wasn’t validating the insurance companies reasoning, just informing why physicians and other medical providers may ask these questions.
Every time I’ve gone to the doctor in the US since several years before I actually had my first period (I was a late bloomer), I’ve been asked about the date of my last period. Since I moved to Germany (a country with a longer life expectancy than the US), I’ve only been asked if I could be pregnant before X-rays and prescriptions or when it’s been relevant to my visit (abdominal cramps, unexplained vomiting, etc.). I understand if you didn’t realize that it’s asked for absolutely everything or if you thought it was actually necessary, but it’s both constant and unnecessary.
It’s like trying to buy alcohol from a legal market - the seller will absolutely rat you out to the cops to protect themselves and their business. Same thing, you can’t trust them if you’re potentially breaking the law. Sadly, this is going on for women simply being suspected of getting pregnant so the government can keep tabs on them. It’s gross
Then why goto the doctor for a checkup?
This is likely in the context of abortion bans in some US states. Presumably they still trust the doctor to do a regular checkup for everything else.
And, the doctor may not have a choice. Even if they’re asking for purely medical-history reasons, they may have to put the information into a system (according to their employer or insurance company or for their own records), and that system may be subject to information gathering from hostile parties.
She’s not wrong, a doctor doesn’t need specifics for a checkup.
That entirely depends on where you are going, what insurance networks they deal with, and what the appointment was scheduled for.
Going in for a sinus infection, yeah that’s probably not going to be necessary. Going in for a women’s wellness check up? They are probably going to have to input something depending on the forms the institution uses for electronic medical records.
Certain insurances will utilize specific metrics to determine reimbursement. If you don’t document certain information they may use it as an excuse not to reimburse the provider.
In some anti-abortion states, the information in question can potentially be used as evidence in a murder trial for having sought an abortion. A prosecutor can potentially use the timing of that previous period to suggest fetal age at the time of a future abortion may be greater than the law allows.
Doctors don’t need that information. Insurance companies surely don’t need that information.
Yes, I understand that. I practice pediatric medicine in the most conservative state in the nation.
Again, this is circumstantial. Menstruation cycles are still very important to certain types of medical care. It is unsafe to suggest that no doctor can be trusted with this type of information.
Most of the reasons why physicians ask these questions is purely out of concern for your health and for liability purposes. Certain medications can be dangerous to prescribe to a person who is unknowingly pregnant.
I wasn’t validating the insurance companies reasoning, just informing why physicians and other medical providers may ask these questions.
You’ll have to start buying tampons in bulk, lest retail starts telling on you
Every time I’ve gone to the doctor in the US since several years before I actually had my first period (I was a late bloomer), I’ve been asked about the date of my last period. Since I moved to Germany (a country with a longer life expectancy than the US), I’ve only been asked if I could be pregnant before X-rays and prescriptions or when it’s been relevant to my visit (abdominal cramps, unexplained vomiting, etc.). I understand if you didn’t realize that it’s asked for absolutely everything or if you thought it was actually necessary, but it’s both constant and unnecessary.
It’s like trying to buy alcohol from a legal market - the seller will absolutely rat you out to the cops to protect themselves and their business. Same thing, you can’t trust them if you’re potentially breaking the law. Sadly, this is going on for women simply being suspected of getting pregnant so the government can keep tabs on them. It’s gross
Yeah, women should just avoid doctors and routine checkups altogether/S