"Smoker"

[Megs]

So today I was going over a list of general health issues, updating my paperwork essentially, with a healthcare professional I see. I discovered they had somewhere along the line added 'smoker' to this list, even though I am not now (nor ever really was) a smoker.

Was told it was on the list because they'd noticed me vaping and put it on there.

Not because I told them I was a smoker, not because they know an everloving thing about what vaping is, but because they saw a puff of, I'm sure in their mind, 'smoke'.

I don't even vape nicotine so there's not even the 'well, you're a nicotine user' argument(which is still fallacious and does not equate to smoking).

Was told she'd check on her office's policy as far as how they list that.

Assured her that I am a non-smoker, and will be listed as a non-smoker, by her office or someone else's.

Anyone else find it ultimately offensive when someone slaps the smoker label on them?

 

[The Cloud Minder]

Having BEEN a smoker, it wouldn't bother me, ... No I take that back, I was NEVER a smoker, my cigarettes were, I was an Inhaler.

 

[Nermal]

Assured her that I am a non-smoker, and will be listed as a non-smoker, by her office or someone else's.

I rather like that statement.

 

[NC_Fog]

My doctor and 4 specialist have me listed as a non-smoker. They all know that I vape and are all excited that I'm no longer inhaling smoke.

 

[DetraMental]

Ah, everyone is trying to figure out what vaping is and how it applies to them or their office. It goes to show how new and widespread vaping is. Somewhere there will be a meeting by the medical board to figure out how to view vaping in the clinical sense whether there's nicotine or not. Even without nicotine you are inhaling a substance into your lungs, how does one know how to check that on their list. They don't know the long-term effects and won't for a very long time. We are the generation to use these first and there is a lot that is unknown.

 

[xtwosm0kesx]

So today I was going over a list of general health issues, updating my paperwork essentially, with a healthcare professional I see. I discovered they had somewhere along the line added 'smoker' to this list, even though I am not now (nor ever really was) a smoker.

Was told it was on the list because they'd noticed me vaping and put it on there.

Not because I told them I was a smoker, not because they know an everloving thing about what vaping is, but because they saw a puff of, I'm sure in their mind, 'smoke'.

I don't even vape nicotine so there's not even the 'well, you're a nicotine user' argument(which is still fallacious and does not equate to smoking).

Was told she'd check on her office's policy as far as how they list that.

Assured her that I am a non-smoker, and will be listed as a non-smoker, by her office or someone else's.

Anyone else find it ultimately offensive when someone slaps the smoker label on them?

Tell them you will happily submit to a cotinine test (as used by most insurance these days apparently) and if it comes back negative demand that they remove it from your record.

Smoking implies tobacco and/or nicotine use (by their standards, not mine) and you are doing neither.

That designation on your record could have serious financial repercussions when it comes to things like health and/or life insurance.

 

[Vchick]

I don't like labels...

I work as a medical claims examiner, I can't begin to tell you what diagnosis codes these "professionals" bill on their claims. So you took Jimmy to the chiropractor, did they tell you they were submitting it as a sprained neck???

Getting these people to submit clear, correct and concise claims is asking to much, and if they billed it incorrectly getting them to do it right, update or change the patient history? forget it.

 

[Spencer87]

I had a coworker (the one who complained about the smell of me smoking,) complain about the little puffs of smoke, saying it was gross. I've had smokers and non smokers telling me it's dangerous. (Insert word of your choice beginning with F) em.

 

[dragonpuff]

So today I was going over a list of general health issues, updating my paperwork essentially, with a healthcare professional I see. I discovered they had somewhere along the line added 'smoker' to this list, even though I am not now (nor ever really was) a smoker.

Was told it was on the list because they'd noticed me vaping and put it on there.

Not because I told them I was a smoker, not because they know an everloving thing about what vaping is, but because they saw a puff of, I'm sure in their mind, 'smoke'.

I don't even vape nicotine so there's not even the 'well, you're a nicotine user' argument(which is still fallacious and does not equate to smoking).

Was told she'd check on her office's policy as far as how they list that.

Assured her that I am a non-smoker, and will be listed as a non-smoker, by her office or someone else's.

Anyone else find it ultimately offensive when someone slaps the smoker label on them?

Healthcare professional? So not a doctor then? I have yet to run across a doctor who knows I vape and puts me down as a smoker. Doctors generally know better than that. I have a feeling this individual genuinely doesn't know anything about vaping, otherwise there would be no argument. Maybe there is in law, but in the field of medicine people generally distinguish between smoke and vapor, since it is very important to your health that they know the difference. Whether or not there's nicotine in the vapor has about as much to do with your health as whether or not your coffee's decaf, so that's not the issue.

Maybe for your next appointment you can print out some educational materials for her it sounds like she needs them.

 

[amoret]

I had a nurse practitioner put "tobacco use syndrome" back in my record, despite my explanation. Luckily I saw my neurologist a week later, she was outraged, and corrected it again.

 

[grandmato5]

Tell them you will happily submit to a cotinine test (as used by most insurance these days apparently) and if it comes back negative demand that they remove it from your record.

Smoking implies tobacco and/or nicotine use (by their standards, not mine) and you are doing neither.

That designation on your record could have serious financial repercussions when it comes to things like health and/or life insurance.

totally agree with this ^^^

You are not a tobacco OR nicotine user so you are NOT a smoker by any insurance definition and certainly should not be defined as a smoker by your doctor.

 

[v1k1ng1001]

You definitely do not want to be labeled a tobacco user for insurance purposes--denial of claims, pre-existing conditions etc. It could have a substantial impact on your coverage.

For example, our HMO mandates that we are supposed to pay an extra $400 per year if we are labelled a tobacco user.

 

[stevegmu]

You were vaping in their office and they saw you? I don't quite understand how you were 'caught.'

 

[Megs]

Thanks y'all, I feel a bit better about it today - though I hadn't even THOUGHT of the insurance ramifications >.< Eeesh, yeah, gonna definitely have to make sure this goes away. I think what caught me off guard so bad was that I wasn't even aware it was listed, it was without any input from me.

stevegmu, I wouldn't say so much I was 'caught' because it never occurred to me to hide it, but I don't vape in their office (or any dr's, hospital, or similar). Nearest I can figure is maybe a staffer saw me vaping on my way out? I usually grab a puff en route to my car or while waiting for the bus. But I definitely know they knew it wasn't a cigarette, because when I said, "Wait, I'm not a smoker." her reply was, "You use electronic cigarettes, right?" >.<

My face as the myriad responses to that bumbled across my danged mind must've been worth seeing, in retrospect.

 

[xtwosm0kesx]

"Wait, I'm not a smoker." her reply was, "You use electronic cigarettes, right?" >.<

I know i've already said this, but i wouldn't let that sit on my record for a minute longer than it had to.

Demand they prove that you're a smoker (see my previous post) and if they cannot(obviously, since you have no nicotine/byproducts on your system), demand that it be removed from your record.

You're as much of a smoker as someone who owns a fog machine.

If they give you any flak, demand to see, IN WRITING, what the guidelines are that they use to apply a "Smoker" designation to a patient.

I guarantee their guidelines revolve around the presence of tobacco/nicotine/byproducts, so therefore you are not a smoker.

 

[bluecat]

The sad thing or good thing depending on which side of the fence you are on is that if vaping is not termed smoking under insurance policy rules.. effectively Obamacare goes deeper into the depths of absurdity. Especially since now "Cadillac" plans are being hit hard.