Showing posts with label Legal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Legal. Show all posts

Medical Privacy Issues - The Internet, Employers, Insurance Companies Are Not Your Friend

Latest update: August 31, 2022. Page URL indicates original publication date; meanwhile, times change and the updates continue.

Beware Medical Discrimination by Employers and Insurance Companies


I'm retired and don't care, but younger people should very much care; especially don't post anything medical on social media or anywhere else online. Potential employers routinely check social media accounts these days.

Potential employers will discriminate against you and not hire anyone they suspect will increase their medical insurance rates. This practice is supposed to be illegal in many states, but quite bluntly that doesn't stop them. They simply claim there was some other factor that caused them to not hire you. It's just a fact of life. So if you have any medical issues, keep them to yourself. Don't even tell your real-world friends. If you have to tell, then make it only the immediate family and those you trust; and remind them about the posting-on-line caveat.

And certainly protect your kids in this regard. Definitely don't mention any of their long-term medical problems online.

HIPAA Medical Privacy Rule

See HHS.gov/... for expanded information. The associated News Room access also has relevant information, particularly as to privacy relating to COVID-19 vaccinations. 

And for folks of all ages, don't mention online that you are going to the doctor, hospital, or anywhere else on a particular day. Doing so announces to the world that your home may be vacant for burglars to enter. The internet is not always your friend.

And while we are at it...Never make a doctor's appointment for a Monday or a Friday. Both the doctor's office and the medical transportation will be total chaos; personal experience talking here.

Another note... Pharmacists say don't keep any prescription medications in the bathroom medicine cabinet. I'm guessing this has to do with both heat and humidity issues; especially heat destroys the active ingredients. Same probably applies to OTC medications and vitamin pills. Makes me think that having prescription medicine or anything else that is heat-sensitive mailed to you during the summer months may also not be a good idea.

Update. Regarding pandemics, it is a pretty good bet that medical privacy goes out the window during those. If you do happen to be exposed to COVID-19, you definitely do not want to advertise that fact. It is well-known that the disease can have future and very long-term effects. Employers and medical insurance companies won't hesitate to discriminate against you as a result.

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Fighting Fraudulent and Inflated Medical Bills - Federal and State Websites Help Patients Fight Dishonest Charges

Latest update: August 29, 2022. Page URL indicates original publication date; meanwhile, times change and the updates continue.

These websites will actually help you when a medical entity victimizes you with inflated or outright fraudulent medical bills and/or denied insurance claims.

This includes hospitals, general doctors, specialists, X-ray places, CT scan or PET scan centers, blood test places, and pretty much any other medical facility or entity that engages in illegal or unethical conduct. Emphasis is on illegal, unethical contracts and on illegal, unethical billing practices. Also includes resources regarding insurance company misconduct or for when a Medicare, Medicaid, or Medi-Cal case worker makes a mistake or acts in bad faith. Sooner or later, you will need the information on this page.

Medical Federal and California (and other) State Government Websites That Will Help You When an Insurance Company or Service Provider Victimizes You – Also Some Worthwhile Additional Information

Ways to Deal With Our Country's Corrupt Private Sector Medical Industry


Patients Rights and Financial Help Resource List

A list of resources regarding the rights patients are legally supposed to have. Many provide complaint forms and will actually help you. All listed websites are government or other well-known, reputable resources. All links go directly to the website's patients rights page and/or patients help page. Needless to say, all are free.
  • MedlinePlus, from the U.S. Library of National Medicine.
  • HealthCare.gov, your rights under the Affordable Care Act.
  • Medicare.gov, your Medicare rights.
  • The Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman. , a resource for filing complaints, grievances, appeals, etc.; in other words, a place to rat out medical service providers. The page also promises to provide information, help, assistance, and other services. The page is apparently also the starting point for when you need to deal with Medicare's own shenanigans.
  • CMS.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The particular link I provided has to do with Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight. The page may not especially look it, but these guys are your friend. Sometimes, out of the blue and without any action on your part, they will send you notices a particular medical bill from a medical service provider or insurance entity is not valid and that you don't have to pay it. This website is definitely worth prowling around when you have the time.
  • California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the go-to page for filing medical complaints in California.
  • Office of the Patient Advocate (OPA), another go-to page for filing medical complaints in California.
  • CDSS is another California site that may be able to help you, especially as applies to local office Medicaid (Medi-Cal) obstructions.
  • Bing. For folks not in California looking for their state websites, simply do a search for:
    "YourStateNameHere patients rights help site:.gov" (without the quotes and be sure to include the exact "site:.gov" syntax).
If a link suddenly stops working, it means the website moved that particular page. Let me know in the comments section and I'll find and post the new location.

Some Tips for When Dealing with the Medical Bureaucracy

(being involved with an insurance plan network limits some of these tips)

  • The Medicare 1-800-633-4227 number is open 24/7. They have always been friendly, professional, and helpful. Do give them a break and check their website first. You might not only find the answer to your question(s), but also discover other worthwhile information relating to your situation.
  • Referring doctors make paperwork mistakes all the time. Whenever possible make sure the medical treatment specifications match what the Medicare white book says. This is mostly applicable to preventive services. Not kidding here, make sure the doctor's instructions exactly match what the Medicare website and yearly white book specifies. I've personally saved myself one financial disaster already by doing this.
  • Never walk into a medical service provider's diagnostic center without the proper Medicare COPD 5-digit code included on the referral paperwork. 
  • Referring doctors make paperwork mistakes all the time (did I mention that already?). Always verify the accuracy of the Medicare code on the paperwork before going to the specialist's or medical service provider's office. Confirm with Medicare that the Medicare code number is valid for your circumstances and procedure(s) and that Medicare will approve and pay for the procedure.
  • When referred to a specialist, sometimes a COPD code isn't provided; the specialist adds the code after the fact. Your only defense against this is having diagnostic information showing the necessity of the visit to the specialist, e.g., CAT scan shows potential malignancies in lungs, thus being referred to a pulmonologist makes medical sense. If the specialists uses the wrong code(s) after the fact and the claim is denied, don't just give up. Work with Medicare and the specialist to get the mistake straightened out and resubmit the claim.
  • If not involved with an insurance plan network, the referring doctor does not not always know if the referred specialist or medical service provider takes Medicare, Medicaid, Medi-Cal, etc. When you walk into that referred specialist's office or medical service center for the first time and have identified yourself, always ask first:
  1. Does Medicare accept you and do you accept Medicare as full payment, secondary insurance covering remaining balance?
  2. Does Medicaid//Medi-Cal/Etc. accept you and do you accept Medicaid, Medi-Cal, etc. or whatever other supporting insurance applicable in your situation as full payment?
If any part of their answer is no, leave immediately. As a Medicare beneficiary, you have the right to go to any Medicare specialist or service provider center you wish, unless you are on an insurance plan where one must stay within the plan's network. Either way, tell your primary, referring doctor what happened and they should be able to take care of it.

An important note. If a medical entity financially victimizes you or is trying to victimize you happens to be a referral from your doctor, first check with Medicare via their website and/or phone calls and find out exactly what is going on. If that doesn't clarify or fix the situation, then tell your doctor's office all about it. They might be able to fix the problem with just one phone call to the offending medical entity; not so surprisingly, your doctor's office will often be quite successful at this.

A personal note. That medical contract you are always forced to sign is basically a blank check allowing the medical entity to do whatever they want. You've given them the right to do anything and everything their little hearts desire and then to bill you for whatever insurance doesn't cover. For that reason, I always print directly above my signature the following in caps:

"ONLY PROVIDE INSURANCE COVERED SERVICES ONLY"

If the medical service provider then refuses you as a patient, immediately inform your primary physician that referred you. If that doesn't solve the problem, i.e., your doctor being able to find a different service provider in the area; I'd personally let Medicare, Medicaid/Medi-Cal, and any other involved insurance/government entity know all about it. I would think they would all want to know about a medical service provider that turns away patients simply because that patient only wants those services that are covered by insurance. Who knows? They might even be able to help you.

An update (Medical Hack(?)). Someone sent me this. I do not know if it is true or not. It sure would be interesting to find out:

Medical Life Hack?

I'm continuing to look for other government medical websites that help patients when it comes to money issues. If you happen to know of one, please mention it in comments. I'll be happy to include it on the list. Federal sites are preferred, but sites specific to your state are also welcome.

Here's an article from CNBC about fighting a fraudulent medical bill: More than 30% of Americans have medical debt: What you need to know about negotiating a medical bill.

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A Review of the Whole Body Donation to Science Free Cremation Program

Latest update: January 19, 2022. Page URL indicates original publication date; meanwhile, times change and the updates continue.

About Free Cremation via Body Donation - What You Need to Know


April 2020 Update:

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some organizations are suspending body donation acceptances.

April 2021 Update:

Though this page is about what happens regarding a whole body donation, here's a .gov link about: FENA Funeral Assistance.

An article about what happens when you donate a body to medicine, science, industry, research.
Rule Number One for Caregiver: Have Choices Made and Everything Done Before Occurrence.
This page is not for everyone. It serves up the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And it is not gentle about it. Includes what happens and how to donate a body to get a free cremation.

The Sands of Time

How to Get a Free Cremation by Making a Whole Body Donation to Science

There is a fairly new industry now in existence. It is the business of whole body donations. This is an information article for anyone who is considering making a whole body donation of either themselves or of a loved one. It is the industry standard that a whole body donation entitles the donor to free cremation, free transportation, and generally free everything else relating to the cremation.

Overview of the Body Donation Industry

It is illegal for you to sell your body or that of a loved one. However, if you make a whole body donation; the company will pay all transportation costs, the cremation fee, the cost of the urn, and all other incidental costs. This is the industry standard, but each company may be different; so it is imperative to read the contract to be sure.

The company will work with one or more local funeral homes. The funeral home will pick up and transport the body. The company will make all the arrangements. Once the body is at the funeral home, the company will make a final determination as to whether to accept it. If they decide to accept it, the body will then be transported to the company's facilities; often this will be in another state. After one to two months, the remains will be cremated and per your instructions, returned to you or scattered at sea.

If the company rejects the body at time of death, the body stays at whatever funeral home the company happened to have selected. You are then liable for whatever the funeral home wishes to charge you for the transportation costs, cremation costs, etc. This seldom happens; each whole-body-donation company has their own rules; so be sure to read the contract.

Not Just Organ Donation: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

The company will inform you the donation of your body or that of a loved one will contribute to the causes of science, education and research. In actuality this means the body or its various parts can and will be used for practically anything. You are not allowed to restrict how the body of you or your loved one may be used.

Once your body or the body of your loved one is at the company's main facility, the sales frenzy begins. Although it is illegal to sell a body or any of its parts, the whole-body-donation companies have found a way around this. As an example, suppose the company gets an order from a customer for a liver; the company will donate the liver, but will charge fees for everything related to it; such as extraction, preparation, and transportation.

First and foremost is the use of dead body parts to cure and heal the living. This is not the usual harvesting of organs immediately after death. Cadaver materials such as skin and bones can be processed into products and materials which are sold to hospitals to treat patients.

The next best scenario is when the cadaver's organs and tissues are harvested and sent to various institutions for medical research. This is the image most of us picture and is indeed many times the case.

However, the company has many different customers and many different types of sales orders.
  • Medical teaching facilities, especially colleges and universities, are steady customers of whole-body-donation companies. Your body or that of your loved one may very well end up at one of these institutions. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Contributing to the education of future doctors and researchers is always a worthy cause. It is possible, however, you or your loved one may end up as the guest of honor at a frat party. Another less pleasant scenario is when the body is chosen as a semester-long project. This is where the body lays on a table for a few months and is gradually cut and picked apart piece by piece; usually rock music will be playing in the background as the students crack jokes.
  • Pandemic research. The CDC and others no doubt have an interest.
  • A government agency known as the United States Military is an avid customer of whole-body-donation companies. The military likes to use the bodies for researching and testing their new protective gear. You or your loved one may also be used to test the destructive attributes of new ammunition or explosives. No doubt other government agencies are also customers. One can only speculate as to which agencies and what the bodies or their various parts are used for.
  • Many non-medical biotechnology and other companies are also regular customers of the whole-body-donation-to-science industry.
  • Believe it or not, most of the above scenarios do not cause people to reject the idea of whole body donation. However this last scenario does seem to be a deal-breaker for many people. It has to do with the following sentence you will find in the Donor Consent Form Contract: “I am consenting the body to potential segmentation and disarticulation”. In other words, the company chops the body apart; piece by piece and day after day. Here is a typical scenario: Minnesota orders an arm; it is removed and sent. Next day Nevada orders a leg; it is done. Sooner or later the inevitable order for a head floats in; off it goes. Soon all that remains is the torso (probably minus the organs). This is not the image of a loved one many people want to carry around for the rest of their lives.

Whole Body Donations to Science and Free Cremations

The Hopeful Future

The Future Is Now...?

The purchasing company can do anything they want with the body, but as the industry matures it is hoped someday you will have the right to specify the fate of yourself or your loved one. Hopefully, the time could be soon. In fact, since the industry has been around for awhile; it could literally happen any day now. Be sure to ask what options are available and if there are any restrictions you can impose. Do not take anyone's word for anything. Ask for the contract. Inform the salesperson you will read it and get back to them. If they try to make excuses or otherwise object, then probably do not consider that company as one of your possible choices.

Rule Number One for Caregiver: Have Choices Made and Everything Done Before Occurrence.*

*This is the voice of experience talking. Then when the time comes and depending on circumstances, you will then only be faced with having to make that dreaded phone call; everything else will then be automatically taken care of. As a personal side note, I decided to not engage in this process. The “I am consenting the body to potential segmentation and disarticulation” clause in the contract was indeed a deal breaker for me.

The hospice worker is talking about you, the caregiver:
As a hospice worker told me the following day, "When your body wants to cry, let it." And she was not just talking about that day, but future days and weeks as well. When your body wants to cry, let it. Don't fight it, just let it. And do not care if other people happen to be around at the time. The less you fight it, the sooner you will heal.

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Defending From and Fighting Against Corrupt Medical Service Provider Contracts

Latest update: August 6, 2022
Page URL indicates original publication date; meanwhile, times change and the updates continue.

If you have a personal situation going on, these government websites can help you: List and Information.

Never Blindly Sign a Medical Contract Without Reading It First. Learn to Say "NO"!

Medical Service Provider Corruption - Patients Forced to Sign SWAG Medical Contracts Under Duress

[This page was originally entitled "Medical Imaging and Diagnostic Centers Saying Medicare Part B Reneges on Paying for Preventative Services" and was about a local incident. The page has since been expanded to include other local incidents and as they relate to the national issue. Bottom of the page has a list of government bookmarks for helping patients deal with unethical medical conduct. There is also a phrase I add whenever signing a medical contract.


First Incident

Per doctor's written instructions, I went to an imaging/diagnostic center (name temporarily redacted) for chest/lung X-rays. I had been to this place before a couple years ago and there hadn't been any problems.

As with most medical service providers, I was first directed to the Hallowed Contract Signing Room. And there is where everything fell apart...

They placed a second contract in front of me that basically said (paraphrasing):
  • We will take the X-rays.
  • We will bill Medicare.
  • Medicare will note the bureaucratic coding error and deny payment (this part was buried in legalese).
  • When Medicare recognizes the bureaucratic coding error and refuses to pay, then you must pay instead (this part was buried in legalese).
  • If you refuse to sign this contract, we will refuse to do the X-rays your doctor ordered.
I refused to sign.

The reason they did this was because they immediately realized the doctor had filled out the requisition incorrectly regarding Medicare reimbursement procedures (this was a clerical error, not a medical error). Instead of informing me of this so that the clerical error could be corrected, and thus having a loyal patient for life, they instead tried to con me into being financially responsible for the easily fixable bureaucratic, clerical mistake.

As a side note, I asked for a copy of the contract to show the doctor as to why I didn't get the X-rays and the imaging/diagnostic center flatly refused. I can't help but wonder how many other patients this CT diagnostic center attempts to victimize and does victimize each month

Second Incident

Per doctor's written instructions, I went to a local blood lab (name temporarily redacted). While in the back room, they came in with a contract saying certain medical codes were missing and I would have to agree to pay for what Medicare wouldn't pay because of the missing codes. I declined, at which point they said they would contact the referring doctor's office and get the codes.

They then came back and said they had got the codes and proceeded to take my blood. I never had to sign anything and all appeared well.

When I got home, it occurred to me to call the doc's office to see if the blood lab really did call them and get the codes.The  doc's office said they never received any such call. They further said they would look into and deal with it, and that I would not be responsible for any bills.

I waited to see how this would sort out before acting further. Fortunately, I never signed or otherwise consented to being billed. And no bill was ever received. I can't emphasize this strongly enough, don't automatically sign whatever piece of paper a medical provider puts in front of you; read the thing and don't be afraid to say no when you perceive something is not right.

When I first reported about this second incident, I received input from others stating such things as...
  • They have been nothing but trouble for people with Medicare or PPO health insurance.
  • Credit card numbers demanded in advance before agreeing to do blood work.
  • Collection agencies being used on unwarranted/disputed bills.
This incident is considerably worse than the first incident, in fact it makes the first incident pale by comparison.

Third Incident

Per doc's referral, I went to an eye doctor place (name temporarily redacted) and made an appointment. After making the appointment, I then perused their frames selection. The prices were literally double to triple the prices that can be found elsewhere, presumably the lens prices would be equally exorbitant.

The place was packed with patients/customers, noticing this caused me conflicted emotions...
  • On the one hand, I am pro capitalism. If a business entity discovers an unending supply of customers who voluntarily pay double to triple the going rate for a product or service, then you really can't fault the business entity for taking advantage of that.
  • On the other hand, pretty much all the patients/customers there were extremely old people who just plain no longer apparently had the mental faculties to know any better or the ability to realize what was going on. I'm not an attorney, but this could easily be perceived as a case for elder abuse. Most insurance does not pay for frames and lenses, only for the exams. Then again, maybe all the patients there were rich and just didn't care.
At any rate, I mulled things over and cancelled my appointment. I may or may not work up the energy to look into that particular situation further.

The National Problem

[This page started out being about the actions of a single medical service provider. However it has now become about the national issue of medical service providers denying patients medical care unless the patient agrees to sign what are known as SWAG CONTRACTS.]

Continuation and Update

I called the doctor's office. Yep, apparently most imaging/diagnostics centers are now pulling this stunt.

A patient being held responsible for a bill, because they falsely claimed they were insured, is indeed as it should be. However, a service provider attempting to force a patient to be held responsible for an insurer's breach of contract, bureaucracy, bad faith conduct, mistakes, or even just a misunderstanding is not.

The contract is between the service provider and the insurer, it is their responsibilities to understand and agree to the terms. Any attempt by a medical service provider to make a patient responsible for an insurer's actions is, to me, an essentially bad faith action on the part of the provider. Basically, the medical service provider is extorting the patient to insure the provider against the actions of the insurer, the threat being the withholding of needed medical care if the patient refuses to do so. In other words, patients are being forced to sign contracts under duress.

Proposed Solution


Is it any wonder most countries think America has the most corrupt Medical Establishment on the planet? Our government keeps trying to fight it. But the greed and corruption is so entrenched, ingrained, embedded, and widespread (there are media reports almost daily on the subject) that nationalization of the medical industry may indeed be the only answer.

There would still be private sector medical professionals, but the government would be the single insurer and the only legally responsible payer. And it would be illegal for any private sector medical entity to try to coerce a patient into signing any sort of contract. Proof and authentication of identity and coverage would be all that is required, pre-authorization for medical procedures implemented on an as needed basis. Premiums would be based on income. Service providers (including hospitals) would no longer have to worry about being paid. Patients would no longer have to worry about being thrown into financial hardship or outright bankruptcy.

You might try suggesting the service provider get pre-authorization from the insurer. However and for some unknown reason, there are apparently some medical service providers who refuse to make the 3-minute phone call, the initially mentioned imaging and diagnostic center being one such case.

On a personal note, I am aware versions of this situation have been going on for decades. I have always circumvented the problem by simply adding the following sentence directly above my signature in caps: "ONLY PROVIDE INSURANCE COVERED SERVICES ONLY". I am not an attorney, but it seems to work. The service provider then gets everything pre-authorized and there has never been a problem.

This Has to Stop

A Bookmarks Reference List of Patients Bill of Rights Resources

I figured while I was at it, I might as well compile a list of resources regarding the rights patients are legally supposed to have. All listed websites are government or other well-known, reputable resources. All links go directly to the website's patients rights and assistance pages. I might add to this list from time to time. The list is at Government Help for When Victimized by the Medical Profession, particularly relates to financial and billing misconduct.

A side note, you might want to select the MedFin (Medical Financial) label below. If you see a relevant article title, select the title.

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Corporate Employers Refusing, Not Hiring Unemployed

Latest update: September 25, 2022. Page URL indicates original publication date; meanwhile, times change and the updates continue.

Do see the latest updates at end of article. The news is mixed. There's also additional resume-gap solutions. Due to the pandemic, some parts of this page may have become temporarily obsolete.

[Although the original version of this article was written awhile ago, there is not a doubt in my mind that it is still going on. The big corporations continue to lobby for increases in H-1 visas. If you are unemployed, do include smaller companies in your search. In fact, I'd make it a point to ferret them out. For that matter, there is a link at the bottom of this article to a job search engines list.]

Many national companies refuse to hire the unemployed. Their company hiring process is to only hire people who are already working at another company. A corporate greed fact and the way it is. What can an unemployed person do about it? Try applying at the smaller and/or local companies.

[Side Note. If you happen to be looking for a job, here are a boatload of job resources. And never, ever pay for a job lead or job interview. The industry standard is the potential employer pays the recruiter; the applicant is not required to pay anything. Ever. And if you happen to come across any websites with work-at-home offers and up-front money is requested; depart that website immediately.]

Companies Are Excluding the Jobless from Hiring.
Corporate Greed in America.


Corporate Greed in America, Jobs, Employment Ads, Hiring Practices.

Corporate America continues its refusal to hire the unemployed. Their job ads now contain phrases such as “no unemployed candidates will be considered” or “must be currently employed”. This is truly corporate greed at its worst.
This problem has become increasingly severe as evidenced by EEOC Testimony.

This page is an ongoing compilation of companies engaging in this particular corporate-greed practice. If the reader is aware of such a company, please post their name and/or ad excerpt in the Comments Section below; any additional information would also be appreciated..

EEOC Testimony Excerpts

Eliminating arbitrary employment barriers that operate to weed out qualified and interested job applicants…

It is profoundly disturbing the trend of deliberately excluding the jobless from work opportunities is on the rise…

"Unemployed Need Not Apply", stories suggesting systematic exclusion, often blatant, of unemployed workers from consideration for jobs began to emerge early last summer

Sony Ericsson,…had posted a job announcement…explicitly stating, “No Unemployed Candidates Will Be Considered At All". Ad posted on The People Place specified the company would “not consider/review anyone NOT currently employed regardless of the reason".

A Craigslist posting for assistant restaurant managers … flatly requiring applicants, “Must be currently employed"…

Unemployed workers, mostly older workers, told they will not be referred or considered for employment, once recruiters or potential employers learn they are not currently working.

Most executive recruiters won’t look at a candidate unless they have a job, even if they don’t like to admit it. …

The tendency to exclude the unemployed is growing. …

Other staffing firm industry specialists similarly confirm the unemployed need not apply….: there is a disturbing and growing trend among employers—honored by staffing firms—to refuse to consider the unemployed for available job openings, regardless of their qualifications. This refusal is often explicitly manifested in job ads which include restrictive language specifying only currently employed candidates will be considered; or no unemployed candidates will be considered, regardless of the reason for unemployment.

You Are (Not) Hired.

List of Corporations and Other Companies Who Decline to Hire the Unemployed

 
Robert Half Legal is the premier provider of legal professionals... Job is located in Southwest portion of LA County. Must be currently employed...

Employee Paralegal Jobs; Careers at Beacon Hill Staffing Group ...To be considered, candidates must be currently employed and have at least three years of experience as a residential real estate paralegal and have ...

“NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER - HOME DEPOT Job in Atlanta, Georgia US. Candidates must be currently employed ***. Good fits: Power Tools and Accessories, Pneumatics, Lawn and Garden, Plumbing, Paint, Building products, ...”

Benchmark Electronics, "It's our preference that they currently be employed…”

Caregivers Currently Working in Assisted Living Co..., Right at Home, Inc. - Sacramento, CA Are You Currently Working At An Assisted Living... are seeking qualified caregivers who are currently employed at assisted living facilities who may be...

Sony Ericsson, as reported in EEOC testimony.

Response Companies - New York, NY 75 PLUS BONUS... THIS A CHANCE TO GET IN THE GROUND FLOOR, BUT PLEASE ONLY CANDIDATES CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AND THAT HAVE GRADUATED IN THE 2-4 YEAR TIME FRAME $65 - $75 an hour

Mortgage Loan Underwriter, Sente Mortgage - Houston, TX - +2 locations Lender system Encompass knowledge preferred Interested applicants must be currently employed in the mortgage industry. Please send cover letter and resume.

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, Sales Force - Madison, WI - +11 locations Must have had no more that 2 jobs in 5 years. Must be in current job at least 1.5 years. Must have no... Must be currently employed. No exceptions! Must have...

The People Place, as reported in EEOC testimony.

Senior Tax Associate or Partner, Bradsby Group - Columbus, OH benefits package. To be considered, you must be currently employed possessing the above qualifications. Please forward resume in Word. Viable candidates will be...

News Snapshot During Week of EEOC Testimony

* Unemployed are being refused the chance to apply for work at some companies, By Ann Belser, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The stories have been horrible.... So the want ads that included a line that unemployed applicants would not be considered have hit a nerve.... Wednesday the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission convened...

* Inquiry considers whether employers discriminate against jobless Boston Globe. Are some companies weeding out job applicants just because they are unemployed? After news accounts about the practice and requests from concerned lawmakers, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has jumped in, trying to figure out whether it's a widespread tactic that could violate federal job discrimination laws...

* Bias Against the Unemployed Is Subject of Probe. WSJ, By MELANIE TROTTMAN,
EEOC Chairman Jacqueline Berrien said at a hearing Wednesday that the agency began hearing anecdotal reports of the practice last summer, including from news reports and from worker-advocacy groups gathering examples of help-wanted advertisements that said only individuals who currently had jobs should apply...

* EEOC Explores Bias Against The Unemployed, Braintrack, Compiled by Yaffa Klugerman. According to The Examiner, the perverse practice of excluding the unemployed as job candidates--and particularly the long-term unemployed--has been growing in many fields. Helen Norton, associate professor at the University of Colorado's School of Law, noted that advertised job listings for electronic engineers, restaurant managers and mortgage underwriters have explicitly stated that only currently employed candidates will be considered...

* Are companies excluding jobless from applying? KING5 Seattle. Commissioners at an EEOC hearing Wednesday said they are investigating whether excluding the unemployed may have a greater effect on blacks, Latinos and other ethnic minorities that tend to have higher jobless rates...

* Are companies excluding jobless from applying? KING5 Seattle. TACOMA, Wash. - Are some companies weeding out job applicants just because they are unemployed? After news accounts about the practice and requests from concerned lawmakers, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has jumped in, trying to figure out whether it's a widespread tactic that could violate federal job discrimination laws. At a job fair in Tacoma Thursday, desperate job hunters ...

* Are companies excluding jobless from applying? San Francisco Chronicle WASHINGTON, (AP) -- Are some companies weeding out job applicants just because they are unemployed? After news accounts about the practice and requests from concerned lawmakers, the Equal Employment...

* EEOC to examine treatment of unemployed job seekers, MLive.com - Jackie Headapohl‎. Currently, unemployed people are not protected by anti-discrimination law. However, if the practice disproportionately affects minorities, who are protected against discrimination, it could be deemed illegal. The Commission will hear from invited ...

* Are Unemployed Applicants Facing Discrimination? The Epoch Times - Antonio Perez‎. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) NEW YORK—Federal regulators are examining allegations that employers are biased against candidates that are currently unemployed, potentially a violation of federal anti-discrimination laws. A typical scenario might ...

* Are companies excluding unemployed from applying for open jobs? The Post-Standard. Because unemployment is hiring among blacks and Hispanics, the chances of an employer considering a minority are decreased by one-third if jobless applicants are excluded...

* EEOC investigates whether companies may be discriminating against jobless Contra Costa Times. WASHINGTON -- Are some companies weeding out job applicants just because they are unemployed? After news accounts about the practice and requests from concerned lawmakers, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has jumped in, trying to figure out whether it's a widespread tactic that could...

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  • Why don't law firms hire older educated unemployed workers?
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Final Thoughts...

Please share this information so as to help others. The more people who are knowledgeable, the better off we all are; especially as to applying at smaller and local companies. And if you are being subjected to age discrimination, this page has some employment resources for us 50 and older folks.

June 2019 Update. The demand for workers has substantially increased since this article was originally written. I can't speak to the high-end, career jobs; but many employers are now willing to give more of the unemployed a chance at the low-end jobs, e.g. retail and such. It really is worth a shot; if you apply at 10 potential employers, at least one of them will give you a chance.

January 2020 Update. The job market is indeed booming. Got a gap in your resume? For those career, professional, tech, trade, other specialized skills, and even clerical and data entry you can:
  1. Fill in the resume gap as a self-employed consultant/contractor.
  2. Sign up at every temp agency in town.

This fixes your employment gap that prospective employers don't like. This give you a whole new source of permanent employment for you. Temps end up getting hired as regular employees all the time.

March 2020 Update. Due to the contradictory forces caused by the pandemic, the job market is a mess.

July 2020 Update. If you are being interviewed by a potential employer and you can blame your current unemployment status on the pandemic, these days you have a real chance of not being subjected to discrimination.

May 2021 Update. If the news media posts are any indication, there is now a labor shortage that is apparently due to the disincentive to work caused by  the federal unemployment pandemic assistance programs. Several states are now in the process of discontinuing these programs. It would be wise to get that job before these discontinuances take effect. Once the discontinuances take effect, competition for jobs may substantially increase. And in all probability company discrimination against age, race, gender, medical status, and current employment status will also return to pre-pandemic levels.
 
September 2021 Update. News media posts are indicating there is currently no discrimination against the short term unemployed. However, discrimination against the long term unemployed still remains rampant. If long term unemployed, the resume-gap idea mentioned in the January 2020 update is definitely worth doing.
 
September 2022 Update. It appears that things are about to become more grim. Here is an article from CBS: Buckle up, America: The Fed plans to sharply boost unemployment

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Domesticated Hedgehogs as Pets - The Legal vs Illegal Issue

Latest update: April 13, 2023. Page URL indicates original publication date; meanwhile, times change and the updates continue.

Legal Issues of Buying and Owning a Pet Hedgehog

  • Have You Hugged Your Pet Hedgehog Today?
  • Hedgehogs, the Ongoing Pet Craze.
  • The Pros, Cons, and Problems of Pet Hedgehog Ownership .
Warning: in addition to the facts, some somewhat demented humor may also be present.

Is a pet hedgehog about to become your new best friend?

Yep, there are media reports that hedgehogs are becoming America’s new favorite pets. Sure enough; if one does a website search, hedgehogs as pets show up all over the place.

Choosing a hedgehog as a pet may not be an easy path. To start with, federal and some state bureaucracies become extremely agitated when it comes to hedgehogs. In some states, it is outright illegal to have a hedgehog as a pet. So, if you decide to engage in this life of crime; do not be surprised if you become a hedgehog fugitive. As an example, here is California's take on the matter. Depending on your state, your results may vary.

When obtaining a hedgehog as a pet, it is best to buy from an experienced breeder. Turns out the little critters need to be domesticated. Reputable breeders will do that for you before selling them. Prices could range up to $200 for your young, healthy, fully domesticated hedgehog.

And another note about the crime aspect. It turns out that hedgehogs also happen to be a culinary item. So, if the wrong people start to become suspicious of your hedgehog-ness, you can always eat the evidence.

Btw, most cities and/or counties require one to pay a yearly fee for a pet license; and that's for any pet: cats, dogs, rabbits, hedgehogs, you name it. Now if you go down to City Haul to pay the legally mandatory pet fee for your hedgehog, it will probably really hit the fan. Frankly, I'm deferring on becoming a hedgehog criminal; life is complicated enough as it is.

If you are really into hedgehogs and Instagram, then this article from Wired magazine is for you: Looks That Quill: The Dark Side of Hedgehog Instagram

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Best Medical Website List of Resources

Latest update: January 4, 2022. Page URL indicates original publication date; meanwhile, times change and the updates continue.

The CDC is a good first resource for the latest pandemic information. The rest of this page, though certainly pandemic applicable, is more about our American, day-to-day medical situations.

And do note the final resource listed under the $100 bills. You will be glad you did. Federal and state agencies can often be a patient's best friend.

Medical Website Resources

Resource Description
Fighting Patient Financial Abuse Patients Forced to Sign SWAG Medical Contracts Under Duress. Includes additional resources to fight back.
...nih.gov/... Patient rights, and much more.
consumer.gov/... Patient rights, and much more.
calpatientguide California patient rights, and much more.
CMS.HHS.gov Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services. Includes nursing home ratings.
Medicare Medicare Information.
Physicians Physician Comparison and Ratings by Medicare.
Hospitals Hospital Comparison and Ratings by Medicare.
amdcanada Macular Degeneration. Amsler Grid.

Resource Description
MayoClinic Seems to have it all.
Merck The Merck Manual. The medical standard.
WebMD This and that, more...
pparx Prescription cost assistance directory.
HealthWorld Health answers, medline, more.
HealthLibray Stanford Health Library.
HealthAnswer Health/Medical answers.
InteliHealth Health/Medical answers.
MedExpert Has every medical link on the planet, more....
healthgrades Research hospitals/physicians/more. Free & fee.
QualityCheck Hospital ratings, more.
nhcaa National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association.
FDA Food and Drug Administration.
NLM Federal National Library of Medicine.
alz.org Alzheimer's info.

Resource Information About Specific Doctors
A.M.A. The American Medical Association. Basic background info and a whole bunch of other stuff.
Reserved
Admin. in Med. Misconduct, malpractice, criminal data.
A.D.A. American Dental Association.
doctoroogle The Good Dentist Guide - By Patients for Patients.

This Has to Stop

Last, but not least, here is a page dedicated exclusively to dealing with patient financial victimization: Medical Federal and California State Government Websites That Will Actually Help Patients When a Medical Service Provider Victimizes You – Plus Some Important Tips


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