Are Non-Disclosure Agreements For Dishonest People?

Does one’s refusal to sign a non disclosure agreement indicate a sign of dishonesty? Or does it indicate something else?

By Molly Mulebriar

For example, PPO agreements, which are Contracts of Adhesion,  are non disclosure agreements – non transparent and secretive. The “I can’t tell you, you will have to kill me” clause illustrates the power of these secrecy oaths.

If one requires a NDA we politely say no. If one cannot share their information freely and openly, we are not interested in further discussion. Does that make us dishonest? Yesterday we were told we must be since we refused to sign their NDA on a service/product offering touted to be the best thing since sliced bread.

Suppose we signed the NDA and learned all about the secret sauce. And what if we really like it as it would benefit our clients. How do we tell a client “Yes, it’s a really great product that will save you money and time, but I can’t tell you the secret sauce ingredients, so JUST TRUST ME. If I tell you, you will have to kill me!”

Wait! Isn’t that what purveyors of PPO contracts have been saying for the past 40 years? “Trust me, we have the best discounts but I can’t show you the contract agreements. If I told you, you would have to kill me!”

We know what’s in PPO contracts. We know they drive costs up not down. We know escalator clauses guarantee double digit medical trend, year after year. We know “discounts” are a lie. We know why these contracts are secret. Informed consumers would be outraged if they knew the contents.

So, parties to these managed care contracts must be (are) dishonest! Is refusal to sign a NDA the opposite?

ABOUT MOLLY MULEBRIAR

Molly Mulebriar is a investigative reporterette from Waring, Texas and former 1984 Miss Texas. Currently mayor of Waring, Texas, Molly gained fame in 1997 by auctioning the city’s pot holes on Main Street in an international offering to “Own Part of Texas” campaign. The town gained international fame when Fidel Castro purchased three stating “The US has a base in Guantanamo, Cuba has a base in Waring Texas!” Molly is an infrequent contributor to this blog.

Editor’s Note: To many of us there is no such thing as secrets in our industry. The insurance community is small. What transpires in Los Angeles is known in Dallas. What is known in Atlanta is known in Philadelphia. Sharing of information among industry insiders is common place. PPO contracts are” secret” yet we have copies of them. PPO contract pricing is “secret” but we know what they are specific to each provider and plan. Agent/Consultant “secret” bonus arrangements with the carriers are not secrets to industry insiders. There are no secrets that can be kept secret forever. Except maybe the Coka Cola recipe. Wait! OMG check this out – Coca Cola recipe ‘discovered’ – Telegraph – The Telegraph