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