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In case someone doesn't read all the way through (and you should and you should donate to propublica): "Umansky was bewildered. He hadn’t been using the machin
by throwaway5752 8y ago
In case someone doesn't read all the way through (and you should and you should donate to propublica):
"Umansky was bewildered. He hadn’t been using the machine all night because he needed a new mask. But his insurance company wouldn’t pay for the new mask until he proved he was using the machine all night — even though, in his case, he, not the insurance company, is the owner of the device.
“You view it as a device that is yours and is serving you,” Umansky said. “And suddenly you realize it is a surveillance device being used by your health insurance company to limit your access to health care.”
Privacy experts said such concerns are likely to grow as a host of devices now gather data about patients, including insertable heart monitors and blood glucose meters, as well as Fitbits, Apple Watches and other lifestyle applications. Privacy laws have lagged behind this new technology, and patients may be surprised to learn how little control they have over how the data is used or with whom it is shared, said Pam Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum."
- SOLAR_FIELDS 8y agoThe most infuriating part of all of this is that you know it was some middle project manager who got some minor bonus in the grand scheme of things (probably in the tens of thousands) for introducing some practice that is literally ruining people’s lives. It is absolutely maddening to look at this entire system and see what it has become because of above happening tens of thousands of times over.
- newsbinator 8y agoI wonder how often that middle manager looks back and regrets the move. Or how often he/she doesn't. It might be the reality that those people in society who ruin 9/10 lives are amorally oblivious, and stay that way through long, comfortable lives of their own.
- hrktb 8y agoActualy if the life of that middle manager is mildly miserable they won’t have the time to look back or regret, or really think about what they are doing for a living. And by definition they’re sandwitched in a hierarchy, that can be a hell of its own. I’d argue the health of our society could come from healthier life for these corporate workers.
- lazulicurio 8y agoI don't know if you've seen The Gervais Principle[1] before. It's a cynical but interesting way to think about some of the amoral behavior you see in corporations. It touches on how middle management gets stuck with the short end of the stick between upper-level management and lower-level employees. I'm not really sure how you could change the incentives to make things better for mid-level employees. [1] https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-or-the-office-according-to-the-office/ https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-...
- jononor 8y agoSelf-selection ensures that the number is relatively high, the persons who have a problem with the practice tends to quit, persons who don't have a problem stays.
- C1sc0cat 8y agoIts the same way open plan offices imposed by building services happen. The building Services manger gets a bonus or more likely an annual appraisal that saves them from a pip or rif - totally ignoring the cost in reduced efficiency and recruitment costs.
- TeMPOraL 8y agoThe principal-agent problem. You can notice it everywhere. Every time you hear the word "kickback", you know someone is paying money so that someone else can harm a group of people.
- Spooky23 8y agoThe more infuriating thing is that these cost controls exist because CPAP is a hot prescription that’s being overused. On the other side, there’s a revenue maximizination consultant pushing doctors to prescribe unnecessary equipment like inhalers and CPAP.
- chiph 8y agoI think that for the people that need it, CPAP is what lets them get a good nights rest (and possibly not die overnight). But looking at all the commercials for the machines - I get the impression that it's the new "Scooter Store", taking advantage of the federal & private money available for durable medical equipment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scooter_Store https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scooter_Store
- a_imho 8y agoI have nothing to hide! FANG already knows everything about me! /s
- jcelerier 8y agosounds like a torchwood episode
- swsieber 8y agoAnybody have recommendations for fitness/sleep trackers that respect privacy (e.g. keep data local, doesn't need the cloud)?
- applecrazy 8y agoProbably not the answer you’re looking for, but the Apple Watch keeps all data on-device until you explicitly opt-in to it being synced to iCloud.