Anyone ever have a Physician ask them if they own a firearm?

[papabear]

I have been following this thread since its beginning and find it very interesting from all the comments. I am a vietnam vet and receive most of my medical help now from VA. Due to the large amount of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan I've had to use some medicare doctors and facilities to get different treatments including two surgeries which VA covered. I have never been asked one time from either about anything relating to guns. If I were asked the question ie., "Firearms are a leading cause of death and injury among children, do you have any firearms in the home?" I'd answer NO... and try to keep a straight face; I really liked the response, "we don't have a swimming pool either. I wouldn't use "our children are always properly restrained when in a motor vehicle which, according to CDC, Department of Health", no use in raising a red flag due to my age.

I am not trying to say that some have not been asked, just in my case the ACA has not effected me as far as the gun issue, however, I have noticed the doctors both civilian and VA seem to spend more time filling out required forms for the ACA and less time with the patient, especially with the civilian doctors. At VA I just show my VA card and usually I go right in when I have an appointment, however, at some of the larger facilities sometimes there is a lengthy wait but there us always a lengthy wait with civilian doctors appointments. My VA visits may not be the norm but that's been the case were I go.

[Curly1]

Yes my doc says he comes in on weeknds to catch up on the paper work and it is getting to the point where he will be retiring earlier than expected because of it.

[papabear]

I HAVE to ask those questions. It’s the law.”  
To which I replied,  “Actually, it is  NOT the law. Here is what the law says--taken directly from the Affordable Care Act:”
(1)    WELLNESS AND PREVENTION  PROGRAMS. —A wellness and health promotion activity implemented under subsection (a) (1) (D) may not require the disclosure or collection of any information elating to:
(A)    the presence or storage of a lawfully-possessed firearm or ammunition in the residence or on the   property of an individual; or  
   (B) the lawful use, possession, or storage of a firearm or ammunition by an  individual.
(2) LIMITATION ON DATA COLLECTION . —None of the authorities provided to the Secretary under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or an amendment made by that act shall be construed to authorize or may be used for the collection of any information relating to-
    (A) the lawful ownership or possession of a firearm or ammunition;
    (B) the lawful use of a firearm or  ammunition; or
    (C) the lawful storage of a firearm or ammunition.
You may verify this at,
: http://housedocs.house.gov/energycommerce/ppacacon.pdf   
  http://wizbangblog.com/2013/01/10/obama ... istration/.”

[snailman153624]

Note that the way that's written just states that this particular law doesn't provide legal authority to ask those questions, but it doesn't prevent them from asking those questions. They are only prohibited from doing so if the "wellness and health promotion activity" was implemented to satisfy the requirements of this law.

[papabear]

You're right, my point though was that you don't have to answer the question according the ACA. Yes they can ask but you don't have to answer, and in all my dealings with doctors in the last 18 months which are many from either primary doctors or VA doctors I have never been asked, and that covers doctors in IN, KY, TN and MO.


In a nutshell, under Obamacare you can’t be required to provide information to doctors or health plans about legally owned guns, nor can your insurance rates be affected by such ownership. The government, in the execution of Obamacare, cannot collect information about or use information from other government databases about legally owned guns.

There’s noting in there that prevents the another agency from implementing gun and/or ammunition registration. If such an agency (BATF, DOJ, FBI, etc.) did implement such a scheme it would be illegal for the government to use such data in the execution of Obamacare’s mandates – that is all…