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With a stroke of the governor's pen, Florida is positioned to become the first state in the nation to prohibit physicians from asking patients if they have guns in their homes, a move some doctors say will interfere with health care.
The Florida Senate passed House Bill 155 last month by a 27-10 vote and the measure now awaits the signature of Republican Gov. Rick Scott. If signed, it would ban doctors from asking about the presence of guns or ammunition in the home.
Republican State Rep. Jason Brodeur, a sponsor of the bill, proposed the legislation following an incident in which a Florida pediatrician told a mother to find another doctor when she refused to answer questions about guns in her home.
Supporters of the legislation, including the National Rifle Association, say they're seeking to stop doctors from invading their privacy. Critics of the bill, however, claim that doctors need to ask patients about guns to ensure their safety and to make sure they remain out of the reach of children
I live in FL and I never heard of anyone bring this up as an issue. Why cares what the doctor asks. Not that a doctor ever asked me such a question, but if they did, I can't think of any reason why I would not admit having guns.
Why is there a need for a law where a "none of your business" answer will do? Isn't this an action of a nanny state?
Well, see - Rick Scott and his cohorts don't believe that your relationship with your doctor can remain private. Therefore, they have to tell the doctor what questions they can and cannot ask. Instead of asking if there's a gun in the household, they'll now tell their patients "if you have a gun in your house, you need to take appropriate measures to keep them out of the hands of any potentially suicidal family members, and those who cannot be entrusted with deadly force (such as children, the mentally ill, etc.)".
How do you think the NRA (No Regulations Atall) crowd will like that? They'll have to cobble together legislation to make sure doctors can't utter the word "gun" or "weapon" to patients. And then the knife lobby will have to do the same thing. Forget about cleaning products - let the kids poison themselves!
I never heard of it, but if a doctor would ask you that question which clearly isn't his/her business and you will answer it by "none of your business" ....do you think the doctor will look the same at you as before the question was asked?
I rather have the question not asked! Great Job Rick Scott for not putting any parent into this situation.
Why is there a need for a law where a "none of your business" answer will do? Isn't this an action of a nanny state?
As it stated above, a Florida quack told a woman to go find another doctor because she refused to answer a question that has nothing to do with medicine or health.
Now they are telling doctors how to do their jobs? What's next? Is Rick Scott going to give the doctors a list of permissable questions and a list of forbidden questions? Maybe Scott will tell the doctors that questions about alcohol and drug use are a violation of the patients privacy. Or questions about what meds they take. I thought Republicans wanted the government out of the way, not vice versa.
I live in FL and I never heard of anyone bring this up as an issue. Why cares what the doctor asks. Not that a doctor ever asked me such a question, but if they did, I can't think of any reason why I would not admit having guns.
I think it's more a thing for pediatricians (though the group I work for doesn't ask that)to ask, than say, proctologists.
ETA: Just read the link. So a mom claims her doctor asked her about guns in the house, something that is a legitimate question, and she then claims she refused to answer so the doc told her to find another doctor. On this kind of a flimsy anecdote, the legislature passes a law? Gosh, I thought our Colorado legislature was whacked! This is nuts!
As it stated above, a Florida quack told a woman to go find another doctor because she refused to answer a question that has nothing to do with medicine or health.
If the doctor asks and you don't like that he asked, go find another doctor. Someone has to bring government into the mix... a conservative no less? That seems a contradiction to conservative principles. Doesn't it?
Certainly wouldn't want to take weapons from patients who are a Danger to Self or Others
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