Healthcare companies are collecting ‘oceans of data’ on consumers

The health insurance industry has teamed up with data brokers to “vacuum up” personal details about Americans including race, education level, marital status, TV habits, online ordering habits, social media posts and if they pay bills on time, NPR reported.

All this data is being calculated in computer algorithms to predict healthcare costs, and the implications could run much deeper, including setting healthcare insurance prices based on these determinants.

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Amy Baxter

Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."

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