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until you realize its going to be people like insurance companies using this data to deny coverage and other stuff aimed soley at profiting on the people its ha

by throwaway2048 9y ago

until you realize its going to be people like insurance companies using this data to deny coverage and other stuff aimed soley at profiting on the people its harvested from. How much benefit does the average person get from being profiled like crazy across the web? Besides the (dubious) benefit of free services, there isnt much positive you can point to from such activity, and a shitload of really scummy exploitative crap. I dont see how such medical analysis is really going to pan out much differently at scale.

Numberwang 9y ago
Here in socialized Europe it will be very beneficial. Our health system focuses on solving problems, not selling us stuff. So this will be another great tool assisting with making us aware of what options we have in improving health outcomes.
- throwaway2048 9y ago
  Plenty of private for profit providers in europe too.
  - PeterisP 9y ago
    Yes, but since the mainstay of the financing isn't really based on private insurance coverage, the main objection doesn't apply. Really, denying insurance is pretty much the only legal-but-bad use case for such information. All other legitimate uses are good for the patient, balanced by an increased risk of crime and loss of confidentiality that may be embarassing but not profitable for anyone (well, except if there's some blackmail case).
    - throwaway2048 9y ago
      "all other legitimate uses are good" is a tautology
      - PeterisP 9y ago
        No, saying that they're good for the patient is not a tautology as there certainly could exist legitimate uses that are good for someone else at the patients expense.
jjeaff 9y ago
You can no longer deny coverage in the US, barring a change to the law (which could happen).
brandonb 9y ago
The Affordable Care Act, and most replacement bills proposed over the last year, protects you from this type of discrimination. Health insurers can't deny you coverage or raise prices due to any pre-existing health condition. By law, an insurer has to offer the same rate to everybody with the same age, zip code, and smoking status. Insurers are allowed to rebate up to 30% of your premiums if you take healthy actions (e.g., going for a run, joining a weight loss program, medication adherence), as long as those actions don't discriminate based on health status.

Numberwang 9y ago

Here in socialized Europe it will be very beneficial. Our health system focuses on solving problems, not selling us stuff. So this will be another great tool assisting with making us aware of what options we have in improving health outcomes.

throwaway2048 9y ago
Plenty of private for profit providers in europe too.
- PeterisP 9y ago
  Yes, but since the mainstay of the financing isn't really based on private insurance coverage, the main objection doesn't apply. Really, denying insurance is pretty much the only legal-but-bad use case for such information. All other legitimate uses are good for the patient, balanced by an increased risk of crime and loss of confidentiality that may be embarassing but not profitable for anyone (well, except if there's some blackmail case).
  - throwaway2048 9y ago
    "all other legitimate uses are good" is a tautology
    - PeterisP 9y ago
      No, saying that they're good for the patient is not a tautology as there certainly could exist legitimate uses that are good for someone else at the patients expense.

jjeaff 9y ago

You can no longer deny coverage in the US, barring a change to the law (which could happen).

brandonb 9y ago

The Affordable Care Act, and most replacement bills proposed over the last year, protects you from this type of discrimination. Health insurers can't deny you coverage or raise prices due to any pre-existing health condition. By law, an insurer has to offer the same rate to everybody with the same age, zip code, and smoking status. Insurers are allowed to rebate up to 30% of your premiums if you take healthy actions (e.g., going for a run, joining a weight loss program, medication adherence), as long as those actions don't discriminate based on health status.