Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

SoylentNews is powered by your submissions, so send in your scoop. Only 18 submissions in the queue.

US Hospitals Begin Data-Mining Patients

posted by janrinok on Thursday June 26 2014, @09:52PM   Printer-friendly
from the someone-has-to-say-no dept.

kaszz writes:

US Hospitals will now mine your credit card data and use algorithms that may result in a call from your doctor if you've let your gym membership lapse, made a habit of ordering out for fast food or begin shopping at plus-sized stores. Because some hospitals are starting to use detailed consumer data to create profiles on current and potential patients to identify those most likely to get sick, so the hospitals can intervene before they do.

Acxiom Corp. (ACXM) and LexisNexis are two of the largest data brokers who collect such information on individuals. They say their data are supposed to be used only for marketing, not for medical purposes or to be included in medical records. Both sell to health insurers, but say it's to help those companies offer better services to members. Credit card usage may now affect health care premiums.

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
US Hospitals Begin Data-Mining Patients | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 15 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday June 26 2014, @10:20PM

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday June 26 2014, @10:20PM (#60616) Journal

    Maybe I should use my debit card more frequently, but only for particularly healthy purchases...

    Or the contrary... show them a high percentage of your (traceable) expenses going into medication - maybe they'll offer you a discount.

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  
    Total Score:   2  

  • (Score: 1) by JNCF on Thursday June 26 2014, @10:44PM

    by JNCF (4317) on Thursday June 26 2014, @10:44PM (#60626) Journal

    I was thinking about the health insurance companies, not the hospitals. I take great pains to stay away from hospitals.