Elisa Giusto, (DO '18), a delegate with the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED), recently presented a resolution that would protect the privacy of dependents so they could receive needed care while maintaining their confidentiality. PAMED passed the resolution.
Explanation of benefits forms (EOBs) are sent to policy holders by insurance companies any time someone covered by the policy鈥攄ependents鈥攔eceives care. This practice has raised confidentiality concerns for several years by patient advocate groups; however the issue has become more visible now that millions of young adults between the ages of 19-25 are able to remain on their parent鈥檚 insurance due to a provision of the Affordable Care Act.
鈥淭his breach of patient privacy is a serious issue, because many young adults who need care might not get it,鈥� said Elisa Giusto (DO 鈥�18), citing specific examples such as reproductive and sexual health care and treatments for mental health issues and addiction. 鈥淭here have been stories out of emergency rooms where kids deny certain testing or treatment because their parents might find out.鈥�
A report from the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health organization, found that close to 20 percent of insured women who chose to receive care at a public family planning center, rather than use their insurance, did so due to privacy concerns. Overall, about 30 percent of teenagers said they chose not to use their coverage for the same reason.
To help address this issue, Giusto, a delegate with the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED), recently presented a resolution to the organization that would work to protect the privacy of dependents so they could receive needed care while maintaining their confidentiality. At its recent House of Delegates meeting, PAMED voted to pass the resolution.
Now, the organization will put its resources and advocacy toward enacting legislation that would require insurance companies to communicate directly and confidentially with dependents who receive treatments that do not require consent from a parent or guardian.
Giusto, who authored the resolution with Matthew Weinberg, MB, assistant professor, humanities, learned about the issue during the Intro to Clerkships program, which helps prepare second-year medical students for their clinical rotations.
"Right now, several states are handling this in different ways,鈥� said Giusto. 鈥淢r. Weinberg and I researched the issue and I approached PAMED to request action here in Pennsylvania.鈥�
This is not the first time Ms. Giusto has had a resolution passed by PAMED; she also co-authored a resolution passed at this year鈥檚 meeting to end USMLE Step 2 CS/COMLEX Level 2 PE, and a resolution to educate PAMED members on contracts, which passed at last year鈥檚 meeting.
In addition, fellow classmate and delegate Christopher Gable (DO 鈥�18) proposed a resolution to PAMED at last year鈥檚 event, to advocate for Pennsylvania鈥檚 physician residency programs to provide transportation home and/or on site sleep facilities, for residents who work long overnight shifts. That resolution passed as well.
Giusto says that being an advocate for underrepresented patients, social issues and medical education is a particular passion for her. 鈥淚t is vital that our perspective is heard,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are [representing] the voices of medical students, residents and physicians, but most importantly, our patients.鈥�
Established in 1899, 黑料传送门 has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a 鈥渨hole person鈥� approach to care鈥攖reating people, not just symptoms. 黑料传送门, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (黑料传送门, 黑料传送门 Georgia and 黑料传送门 South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. 黑料传送门 students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, 黑料传送门 provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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