As you may or may not have seen, Therapymatch Inc DBA Headway.co (electronic health records system and telehealth platform) is rolling out mandatory facial recognition scanning to see your doctor. If you do not do it, you can't see your doctor anymore. They can't book appointments or send Rxs for you. They're going to cut you off from your healthcare unless Peter Thiel approves, pretty much.

Here's the complaint form: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/file-a-health-care-complaint

This also relates to Bill H4746 An Act establishing the Massachusetts consumer data privacy act which is to fill gaps in data privacy protections, reduce unnecessary data collection by businesses, and establish rights and consent. Please contact your reps and ask them about this bill. Ask how it will protect against privacy intrusion and prevent barriers to access.

Headway info/context:

I'm a patient and have been talking to Headway, my insurance company, and a bunch of MA reps about it for almost 2 months. This is what I've found so far:

- Headway doesn't permit opting out. You opt-out by either 1. ending care. Not seeing a doctor at all. 2. switching to self-pay off headway. or 3. finding a new doctor altogether.

- Headway reps told me it is mandatory even if you switch to in-person visits. This is egregious.

- The initial email from them in April said insurance and regulators want this to prevent fraud detection. I verified with BCBS MA (who then verified with headway) that this is Headway alone. No other telehealth platform is doing this, including Epic/MyChart.

- They claim it is HIPAA compliant but I don't believe them. I have a feeling there will be more lawsuits down the line.

If you don't want Peter Thiel interfering with your healthcare access, you can please submit a complain to the AG's office. Anyone can fill this out, even if you choose the option to notify them of the practice. The more the better please.

Headway is shady af. They uses Palantir infrastructure and employ ex-palantir engineers. They aggressively contact providers promising higher pay outs and quick paneling/credentialing so you can be covered by more insurance and get more patients. They're also pressuring them to use AI note taking and summaries from your telehealth visits (meaning it's recording), storing session notes within their platform, etc. (see: Vastaamo Data Breach.) They're currently being sued for selling user data and wage theft. I never look at BBB but turns out there are hundreds of complaints from providers and patients alike regarding billing, paneling, etc. Unfortunately, many providers aren't versed in the harms and risks for their patient confidentiality, so not all off them see the issue.

Complaint form: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/file-a-health-care-complaint

As you may or may not have seen, Therapymatch Inc DBA Headway.co (electronic health records system and telehealth platform) is rolling out mandatory facial recognition scanning to see your doctor. I'm a patient and have been talking to Headway, my insurance company, and a bunch of reps about it for almost 2 months. This is what I've found so far:

- Headway provides no way to opt out. You opt-out by either 1. ending care. Not seeing a doctor at all. 2. switching to self-pay off headway. or 3. finding a new doctor altogether.

- Headway reps told me it is mandatory even if you switch to in-person visits. This is egregious.

- The initial email from them in April said insurance and regulators want this to prevent fraud detection. I verified with BCBS (who then verified with headway) that this is Headway alone. No other telehealth platform is doing this, including Epic/MyChart.

- They had previously told me talk therapy pts will be required next, but as of today said it's just meds and I must be confused.

- They claim it is HIPAA compliant but I have a feeling they're doing sketchy stuff behind the scenes.

If you don't want Peter Thiel to approve your healthcare access, please submit a complain to the AG's office. Anyone can fill this out, even if you choose the option to notify them of the practice. The more the better please.

Headway is shady af. They uses Palantir infrastructure and employ ex-palantir engineers. They aggressively contact providers promising higher pay outs and quick paneling/credentialing so you can be covered by more insurance and get more patients. They're also pressuring them to use AI note taking and summaries from your telehealth visits (meaning it's recording), storing session notes within their platform, etc. (see: Vastaamo Data Breach.) They're currently being sued for selling user data and wage theft. I never look at BBB but turns out there are hundreds of complaints from providers and patients alike regarding billing, paneling, etc. Unfortunately, many providers aren't versed in the harms and risks for their patient confidentiality, so not all off them see the issue.

Bill H4746 An Act establishing the Massachusetts consumer data privacy act is established to help reduce unnecessary data collection by businesses and establish rights and consent. Please contact your reps and ask them about this bill. Ask how it will protect against privacy intrusion and prevent barriers to access.

Mods, please don't delete. I didn't use ChatGPT to write this. This is my completely onbrand longwinded (but contextual!) ass self.