“... refusing to answer is considered a yes answer”.
You are probably correct. By refusing, you appear “guilty” and “secretive”. My husband did refuse... I didn’t answer correctly. I would go into detail but my response makes women laugh and men cringe. (we’ll leave it at that since I was in hard labor). What is great about this thread is that it prepares freepers to this type of question. Both of us were not prepared at all. Even if your primary physician has never asked, there may come a time when you have to go to another type of doctor (a specialist of sorts) and that is when the question can be posed in writing OR verbally. The knowledge that this question may be presented to one in the future helps planning a good response. IMHO.
Yea, you have to pick your battles carefully. Sometimes a polite “no” is best.
In this case, you have to pick your battles at the legislative level. But, yep, if you don’t expect it, you will not be ready and certainly will not have a plan thought out. For that, you have to think quickly and be prepared to lie.