@misterfrumble I have personally used #GoodRx for a few bucks off prescriptions, especially ones that my insurance didn't cover.

However, I was spurred on my your hypothesis, and found this:
https://www.reuters.com/technology/goodrx-pays-15-million-settle-health-privacy-allegations-2023-02-01/

So, yeah. Customers are the product. Weirdly, I don't think that $15M damage settlement is going to the customers that were wronged. (i.e. Me? Was my info sold?)

#healthcare
Dr. put me on #jardiance. $1700 without insurance. $575 on #goodrx. Am desperately scrambling to get #insurance now. But do not qualify via healthcare.gov

Wheee! </sarcasm>

Email2Toot ROBOT -- CHECK ACTUAL AUTHOR BELOW:
See our email listserv for psychotherapists at https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
.

TITLE: PHI & Tech: I'm Wary of Tech Companies...

Hi All,

I'm forwarding with permission an email from Laura Reagan, LCSW-C -- a
local Baltimore area clinic owner regarding misuse of client PHI by
BetterHelp, GoodRx, and potentially other companies.

Thanks,
Michael

--- Forwarded Message ---

Hi all!

....

I'm wary of tech companies that are offering these types of shortcuts to
help clients and therapists, but then turn out to be selling client PHI
(even though they claim not to) which is how they really make their
money.
I've heard rumors that some of the companies that claim to give
therapists
better reimbursement for insurance clients are doing this (not
naming names
since I have no proof).

Two companies that have sold data even though their privacy practices
promised they didn't are BetterHelp (they earned $1B last year) and
GoodRx
(the company that helps people get prescriptions for cheaper). There are
surely others, but it seems the FTC is currently catching up now on
things
that happened 2017-2020. Some info is below.

FTC article about what they say BetterHelp did:
https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2023/03/ftc-says-online-counseling-service-betterhelp-pushed-people-handing-over-health-information-broke

This response from BetterHelp, even as they settled with the FTC,
downplays
what they did and calls it normal marketing practices.
https://www.betterhelp.com/betterhelp-response-to-the-recent-ftc-settlement/

FTC article about what they say GoodRx did:
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/02/ftc-enforcement-action-bar-goodrx-sharing-consumers-sensitive-health-info-advertising

GoodRx issued a statement which I can't even read without agreeing
to their
privacy policy but I can see it says they disagree with the
settlement they
paid $1.5 million for.
https://www.goodrx.com/corporate/business/goodrx-response-to-ftc

... Any service that makes therapy more accessible while protecting
people's privacy and giving the best
possible reimbursement (full fee) to the therapist is something I
want to support! Especially because my practice doesn't accept
insurance!

Being trained as a social worker taught me to always ask "who benefits?"
and to answer that question with "follow the money!"

Warmly,

Laura Reagan, LCSW-C
Owner, Baltimore Annapolis Center for Integrative Healing
<https://bahealing.com>
Integrative Trauma Psychotherapy, Clinical Supervision, Consulting,
Coaching & Training
Founder, Trauma Therapist Network <https://traumatherapistnetwork.com/>
Host of Therapy Chat Podcast <https://therapychatpodcast.com>
Host of Trauma Chat Podcast <https://traumachatpod.com>

--
Merely Forwarded By:
*Michael Reeder, LCPC
*
*Hygeia Counseling Services : Baltimore / Mt. Washington Village
location*

 #psychology #neurology #socialwork #psychiatry @psychology
@socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth
#psychotherapists @psychotherapists #betterhelp  #goodrx #float
#therapyfinancing #financing #cookies #tracking #3rdpartytrackers #HIPAA
#privacy #dataprivacy #webbeacons

@MrDependable I laughed at that fucking GoodRX fine. It was *ridiculously* small. Perhaps, *just perhaps,* it should have been treated as a massive #HIPAA violation, but IANAL, blah blah blah.... #GoodRX #fsckThem

I dropped my #insurance. I had the best plan my employer offered and it didn't cover emergencies or hospitalizations. It was called a PPO but if I used an out of network provider it would not reimburse me.

It was not in network with any provider I contacted who was accepting new patients within the next ten months.

I'm sick (pun noted) of being dicked around by this racket. I'd rather pay more than involve myself any longer in this infuriating charade.

The prescription coverage was decent. Anyone know of better discount codes than #GoodRx?

I've already tooted a story about this, but today I got notification directly from GoodRx. Their pricing isn't so good as it used to be either, and there are other problems. They're supposedly not going to do anything like this again, but once burned, twice shy. I'd stay away from them. #GoodRx #privacy #FTC

Anyone else get a notice from #GoodRX that they shared your private medical info without your permission, including to Facebook, and, as punishment, they promise not to do it again??? WTF?? How is that punishment???

The DOJ announced a stipulated order in the matter of GoodRx that DOJ and the FTC collaborated on.

"The stipulated order entered by the Court on Feb. 17 requires GoodRx to pay a civil penalty of $1.5 million and to take corrective action to prevent future unauthorized disclosure of users’ sensitive health information and to ensure compliance with the FTC Act and rules. The order requires that GoodRx notify users that their information was disclosed, bans the company from disclosing health information for advertising purposes, prohibits further misrepresentations and the disclosure of health information without affirmative consent and notice, and requires that users be notified in the event of a future breach. The order also imposes ongoing recordkeeping, certification, monitoring, and compliance obligations."

The order and other documents in the case can be found linked from the FTC's site at https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/2023090-goodrx-holdings-inc

#GoodRx #FTC #DOJ #enforcement #HealthBreachNotificationRule #Privacy #Advertising #Breach

@AnarchoN8V Have you tried #GoodRx? They provide a discount on most Rxs. It is how I get my HRT when my insurance won't cover it (They finally sent me an approval letter, only took them an entire year).

FTC fines GoodRx $1.5 million for sending consumer health data to Google and Facebook
https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/2/23582805/ftc-goodrx-complaint-fine-hipaa-health-data-privacy-google-facebook

#Goodrx #Facebook #Google #FTC #RX #Medicine #Health #Pharmacy #Technology #Infosec #PersonalInformation #Medical #Privacy

The FTC Just Prescribed a Can of Whoop Ass on Health Data

https://youtu.be/BgE7LpvhacA

#news #politics #uspolitics #gizmodo #FTC #HIPAA #privacy #goodrx

GoodRx illegally shared health data with tech giants to target ads, government alleges

The #FTC alleged that GoodRx, a company that lets users compare drug prices and receive coupons, shared sensitive information about users’ prescriptions and health conditions with advertising platforms that allowed them to target ads to users about specific health conditions and medications, despite claims that the company would not do so.

#GoodRX #Google #Facebook #Meta #TargetedAds
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3838310-goodrx-illegally-shared-health-data-with-tech-giants-to-target-ads-government-alleges/

Using GoodRx for your prescriptions?

You might want to reconsider.

"On Jan. 31, the day before the FTC filed its proposed order against GoodRx, a Markup test of GoodRx’s website found that it was still sending health data to a Google-owned advertising platform, including the name and dosage of medication we searched for."

https://themarkup.org/pixel-hunt/2023/02/01/the-ftc-is-taking-on-telehealths-data-sharing-problem-starting-with-goodrx

#PrescriptionDrugs #prescriptions #GoodRx #privacy

Here is what it s going on this nerdy week. New Episode drops tomorrow! #Netflix #appletvplus #appletv #goodrx #mls #5g

GoodRX leaked user health data to tech giants, FTC says
#Security #CyberSecurity #privacy #dataleak #databreach #hhtsecurity #Dataleakility #CyberAttack #CyberSec #cybercrime #DarkWeb #GoodRX
https://cybernews.com/news/goodrx-leaked-user-health-data-ftc/

"If you looked up Viagra, Prozac, PrEP, or any other #medication, #GoodRx would tell Facebook, Google, and a variety of companies in the ad business, such as Criteo, Branch, and Twilio. GoodRx wasn’t selling the data. Instead, it shared the information so those companies could help GoodRx target its own customers with #ads for more drugs. According to the #FTC, that’s illegal." https://gizmodo.com/ftc-fines-goodrx-prescription-data-facebook-google-1850059096

I have been saying for *years* that I don't trust and don't like GoodRx. Now it comes to light that they've been selling PHI to Google and Facebook for marketing purposes... #goodrx #pharmacy

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/02/ftc-enforcement-action-bar-goodrx-sharing-consumers-sensitive-health-info-advertising?utm_source=govdelivery

Top Technology #Twordly (last 12 hours): #Samsung #SamsungGalaxy #Google #ChatGPT #Netflix #OpenAI #Microsoft #Intel #Twitter #Amazon #Facebook #NASA #Qualcomm #GoodRx #PayPal

#FTC Civil Penalty Case: #GoodRX Leaked Sensitive Health Information to Facebook and Google

https://www.statnews.com/2023/02/01/goodrx-ftc-health-data-leak/

Surveillance capitalism is a cancer that has infected the whole economy. It has to be eradicated, whatever the cost, before it destroys whatever is left of our civilization.

We've got to the point where an app to buy discounted drugs sells your private health records to Google and Facebook behind your back (and who knows how many more data brokers and intermediaries), which will use them to target you with more personalized ads customized for your specific health condition.

What shocked me the most is that the FTC slapped a $1.5M fine on #GoodRx not much because selling private health records to advertisement companies without any expertise in healthcare is wrong on so many levels. The fine was motivated by the company "not being clear to its customers about the data being shared".

In other words: just bury "we will share your data with 3rd-parties who will spam you with ads about anti-depressants" somewhere in your already verbose T&Cs, and you can get away with it.

Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with this world?

https://yro.slashdot.org/story/23/02/01/2233230/goodrx-leaked-user-health-data-to-facebook-and-google-ftc-says