Medical ID Theft
When someone uses another person's personal identification (drivers license, medical card, social security card, etc.) to obtain unauthorized medical services or goods, this is medical identity theft. It could be a family member that doesn't have health insurance or it could be someone who has stolen the personal information or bought it (there are websites that sell this information to the highest bidder), using your identity to get drugs or perhaps have an operation. It could be a medical worker (nurse or office worker) who has access to your medical information. It could be a crooked doctor who bills for services not rendered, or a group that sets up a bogus clinic to obtain drugs or medical equipment in your name, to be sold on the black market later.
What might be the impact of medical identity theft on you? Several things can happen, and all are bad:
1) Your lifetime medical benefits can be drained, and you may not know it.
2) You might find yourself with legal problems because the thief is getting medical attention for illegal activity (prostitution, drug abuse, gun shot wounds, etc.).
3) Your medical information can get mixed up with the thief's information. Allergies, medical conditions, blood type, and addictions, for example, will likely be different in the thief. This can result in a misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment that could be harmful to you physically.
4) Theft and misuse of your medical information can affect your ability to get a job or obtain life insurance or disability insurance.
Unless you know your medical identity has been compromised (lost or stolen wallet, for example), medical ID theft is harder to detect than financial ID theft. And medical information bases are not required to correct errors in your medical records, although they might make a notation that some information is suspect. Even the notation that information is suspicious can have a negative affect on your ability to obtain insurance.
What can you do to minimize the likelihood and effect of medical identity theft? First, if you know that your private information is compromised (again, a lost or stolen wallet or purse), file a police report, then contact your medical insurance provider and report it. Secondly, pay attention to the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) letter you get after your insurance has paid a bill. If you see something there that doesn't make sense to you, call the insurer (not the medical provider) and inquire about it. File the report also with the Federal Trade Commission.
You can get a free report of your medical information annually. Information on doing this is at the MIB website. Also review your credit report at least annually for unusual activity. If you see suspicious information at either of these places, work hard to get it corrected quickly.
Like credit card number theft, most medical identity theft happens without your knowledge or control, because too many "invisible" people touch your medical information, so you have to proactively watch for suspicious activity.
The Kroll Background America Identity Theft Shield service that I sell through Pre-Paid Legal provides licensed investigators to do the heavy lifting of restoring your medical identity, should it ever be stolen. Kroll will work with the various agencies to get the databases and records corrected. Contact me if you are interested in this service.
What might be the impact of medical identity theft on you? Several things can happen, and all are bad:
1) Your lifetime medical benefits can be drained, and you may not know it.
2) You might find yourself with legal problems because the thief is getting medical attention for illegal activity (prostitution, drug abuse, gun shot wounds, etc.).
3) Your medical information can get mixed up with the thief's information. Allergies, medical conditions, blood type, and addictions, for example, will likely be different in the thief. This can result in a misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment that could be harmful to you physically.
4) Theft and misuse of your medical information can affect your ability to get a job or obtain life insurance or disability insurance.
Unless you know your medical identity has been compromised (lost or stolen wallet, for example), medical ID theft is harder to detect than financial ID theft. And medical information bases are not required to correct errors in your medical records, although they might make a notation that some information is suspect. Even the notation that information is suspicious can have a negative affect on your ability to obtain insurance.
What can you do to minimize the likelihood and effect of medical identity theft? First, if you know that your private information is compromised (again, a lost or stolen wallet or purse), file a police report, then contact your medical insurance provider and report it. Secondly, pay attention to the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) letter you get after your insurance has paid a bill. If you see something there that doesn't make sense to you, call the insurer (not the medical provider) and inquire about it. File the report also with the Federal Trade Commission.
You can get a free report of your medical information annually. Information on doing this is at the MIB website. Also review your credit report at least annually for unusual activity. If you see suspicious information at either of these places, work hard to get it corrected quickly.
Like credit card number theft, most medical identity theft happens without your knowledge or control, because too many "invisible" people touch your medical information, so you have to proactively watch for suspicious activity.
The Kroll Background America Identity Theft Shield service that I sell through Pre-Paid Legal provides licensed investigators to do the heavy lifting of restoring your medical identity, should it ever be stolen. Kroll will work with the various agencies to get the databases and records corrected. Contact me if you are interested in this service.
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