Stupid question - Is it ok to tell your doctor about diseases in your family history?

Question

Obviously to treat you, it would be best. But in terms of money, if you do tell him/her, will they report it in your permanent insurance records and therefore raise your insurance premiums??

Answer 1

Oh. My. God. Never thought of that. It's not a stupid question, it's all too pertinent to living in the largest and richest third world country in the world.

Answer 2

You should always tell your doctor everything about your family medical history. It's very important, and it's always in your best interest.

It actually doesn't matter whether or not it's in your medical record. When you apply for insurance, the company will ask you about your past medical history as well as your family medical history. Omitting any details is technically insurance fraud. Your insurance company could then legally refuse to pay and may be able to cancel your policy altogether.

If someone is diagnosed with a serious heritable disease, insurance companies will almost always investigate whether any one else in your family has the disease and whether you mentioned it in your application. If they can prove you knew about the disease and didn't tell them, they just saved themselves a *lot* of money.

Answer 3

It's a routine part of the medical history, the insurance company isn't going to find out, and at least for now they can't raise your rates on that basis. Actuarially-based insurance rates, one would hope, will be a thing of the past soon, if some of the proposed schemes see the light of day after the next election. We just need to educate the Republicans on how medicine is not a part of the free-market economy. They've been pretty hard-headed about it, but some are beginning to notice the obvious.

Answer 4

You've hit a serious problem on the head with the health care crisis in the US. Medical insurance companies are pushing ever harder than ever to gain every speck of medical information on people so that they can "assses" the risk of individuals. It does not seem to matter to them that eventually we're reaching a state where they will be able to ascertain that person X will ultimately cost Y dollars in medical costs in Z years, and so for those years, they want to charge person X exactly Y dollars for Z years' coverage, plus profit, of course! In that case, why on earth would anyone want to pay for medical coverage if they're essentially being forced to pay their own way anyway, PLUS profit money into the pockets of apparently basically useless insurance companies which have no role other than to collect profits and boss both doctors and patients around? And they wonder why people today are talking more in terms of a revolution rather than a resolution to this health care crisis.

Addendum: For those that say that it's "confidential information", it isn't confidential very long once you've given the insurance company the rights to access it when you're trying to get coverage. Sure, it's confidential so long you go without medical coverage.

Answer 5

Yes, I Would Think it as Critical, When I was In So. Cal., Years Ago, Insurance Companies Were Not to Be Trusted, With HIV/AIDS, the Insurance Companies Were Not Allowed to Use Confidential Info. About HIV Status for Determining Rates, they Were In the Habit of Raising Rates On people Who Were "Probably Gay", e. g. Area ("Redlining"), and/or Occupation.

Answer 6

How do you figure? I think you're a bit off base. We're not talking about car insurance. So are you saying that if you tell the doctor that for instance if your parents both suffered from high blood pressure, your premium would go up because of a history of it in your family? It doesn't work that way, and if you choose to keep such info from the doctor, you're putting not only yourself but your own family, if you have one, in jeapordy. I would advise you to tell the doc everything.

And by the way, I feel your question is interesting and I gave you a star.

Answer 7

No, because just because your family has something - doesn't mean that you will have it and it is better to look out for something and catch it early than wait. This would be more cost effective for the insurance company also. So I would tell your doctor everything!

Answer 8

It's patient-client confidentiality. And your insurance usually asks for that information when you first sign up. You should tell the dr though because it could significantly affect a treatment plan.

Answer 9

If i've got been you, i might consume as much as i will till now the docs appointment (nicely... i assume no longer lots becasue your abdomen in all probability couldnt cope with it) and don't PURGE. circulate to the physician, in simple terms be extreme high quality and friendly, and while he takes the tests and unearths out you dont have something incorrect with you, in simple terms blame your weight help on rigidity or some thing. heavily, rigidity provides a loss of appitite; say you dont consume lots in college by way of fact of it. then you fairly can circulate domicile and fake it in no way ensue. and in no way PURGE returned! in case you prefer to EASE YOUR GUILT AND GET THIS in the back of YOU in the previous do no longer PURGE. ok? desire i helped :)

Answer 10

No, I dont think by law they can give anyone any information about you. It is a good idea to tell your doctor your family history so that they can look for those same things in you because it could get passed on to you.