# Do insurers need doctor's questionnaires



## Doc (22 Oct 2004)

In case readers are not aware, the Insurance industry is currently in dispute with the IMO over fees for medicals.

Writing in  a medical journal a certain Dr Daly says doctors should not on principle ever give medical info to insurers even if the client permits it.

Interesting thought, but it simply leads to the insurer asking the client for a medical and the client then asking the doctor.  No doctor could refuse that.


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## Guest (22 Oct 2004)

> but it simply leads to the insurer asking the client for a medical and the client then asking the doctor. No doctor could refuse that.

So? Seems reasonable to me that the doctor would never unilaterally divulge patient confidential information to a third party without the patient's explicit permission or explicit.


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## Doc (22 Oct 2004)

*Clarification*

Hi Mr Blank.  Daly was arguing that it was the insurer who was asking the doctor for the medical albeit, of course, the client would have given permision.  His argument was that clients were in effect bullied into giving that permission and that doctors should refuse to give insurers confidential info even if the insurer had the client's permission.  When you think about it, it does seem weird that doctors would give medical info to anybody other than their patient.


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## OK (22 Oct 2004)

*Bullying*

I think I disagree. If somebody wants insurance the insurance company is entitled to seek protection against moral hazard or else they should charge an insurance rate equivalent to somebody with a fatal disease or very short life expectancy. You can't really have it both ways if you want a low premium from a company then you've got to prove that your healthy or else we all end up paying a lot more for insurance.

Btw it's not the insurance companies problem if you are forced to take cover for a home loan or whatever, from their point of view you are independently and voluntarily looking for cover so if you don't like the policy don't take the cover. For instance some companies do have a policy of not insisting on a medical but I'm sure the charges are higher as a result.

so if the doctors won't pass on the results either via the client or direct (with client permission) then the client gets charged a higher premium, thats the way I see it.


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## Guest (23 Oct 2004)

*Bullying*

> so if the doctors won't pass on the results either via the client or direct (with client permission) then the client gets charged a higher premium, thats the way I see it.

I was considering this primarily from a privacy point of view but I don't disagree with what you say that there may reasonably be (negative) implications of the individual can't/won't divulge the required information.


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