Lance R. VickMar 11, 2024

It's official. After 3 months of back and forth, a major medical provider has elected to drop me as a patient for not having a Google or Apple device.

It is unclear if this is legal, but it is very clearly discriminatory and unethical.

Any tech journalists or lawyers interested in this?

I would like to do anything I can to ensure this never happens to anyone else.

Show threadJenniferMar 11, 2024
@lrvick what?? Why on earth would you need an Apple or Google device?
Show threadBen AvelingMar 11, 2024
@Jennifer Guessing, but suspect their device needs an ap and those are the only supported platforms.
@lrvick
Show threadLance R. VickMar 12, 2024

@BenAveling @Jennifer There are no medical devices involved.

They said they only willing to communicate, schedule, and exchange medical information with patients with their apple/google mobile app moving forward, even if it means terminating relationships with existing patients.

I even offered to show up in person for every communication, and they refused.

Show threadNeil KandalgaonkarMar 12, 2024

@lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer 1 in 3 seniors does not even own a smartphone.

I don't understand how this could be even economically feasible, let alone legal.

What's the company?

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/01/13/share-of-those-65-and-older-who-are-tech-users-has-grown-in-the-past-decade/

Share of those 65 and older who are tech users has grown in the past decade

Adoption of key technologies by those in the oldest age group has grown markedly since about a decade ago.

Pew Research Center
Show threadPenguin
@neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer I’m old but was a software engineer for Apple products so live on my iPhone. But parents & in-laws could never use any mobile phone, either to keep it charged or dial with the tiny keypad, much less use a smartphone. Medical providers have to accommodate such people, or tell the world they’re not going to care for elderly people 🙁
Mar 12, 2024 at 9:53amWeb
Show threadtoadjauneMar 12, 2024

@PenguinToot @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer
wondering if that's part of the point.

I'm assuming elderly people are more expensive customers, as a health provider. From a stricly financial point of view, a measure that allows you to discriminate them while calling it a technical limitation sounds quite tempting.

(no idea whether it's legal or not anywhere, tho, but it's certainly very questionable ethically)

Show threadRealGene ☣️Mar 12, 2024

@PenguinToot @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer
And so you've accidentally stumbled upon the actual reason.

No medicine-for-profit company wants old people with their measly Medicare reimbursements and lots of chronic illnesses. Better to get the cases of tennis elbow paid for by employer plans.

If they can be made to exit the rolls simply by requiring use of a mobile phone, that's cost savings that goes right to the CEO's Ivory Backscratcher fund.

Show threadBob K Mertz Mar 12, 2024

@RealGene
I really had the feeling this was a result of the medical company just wanting to be able to make advertising money off of their patients in addition to their fees and insurance billing but this actually seems very plausible. Perhaps it's both.

Both probably are factors in this move. The only thing for certain is that medical care is not at all about care anymore.
@PenguinToot @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer

Show threadPenguinMar 12, 2024
@RealGene @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer Daughter works for her state health insurers, visits lonely elderly to be sure they’re getting medical care, phones physicians as necessary to arrange visits, etc. But she’s one of few people who do this, clearly more will be needed as the population ages. At least Medicare is functioning for her clients.
Show threadburneMar 12, 2024
@PenguinToot @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer The thing is.. your medical insurers are in it for the profit and nothing else. Over here there is a legal requirement to provide insurance to everybody, and thus to accomodate people who can't or won't use smart phones. They cannot refuse people or pre-existing conditions or for (for instance) a condition that makes using a smartphone impossible, like old age or beginning dementia.