Medical Identity Theft

Although medical identity theft is the least talked about form of identity fraud, it is one of the most potentially harmful because it is more difficult to resolve than other forms of identity theft and may put your health—and not just your finances—at risk. There are primarily three forms of medical identity fraud, each posing its own unique challenges and threats.

 Surgeries 

Some identity thieves will strategically admit themselves to a hospital for a necessary surgery using a stolen name and social security number. In this case, a medical file is created at a particular hospital in the name of the identity theft victim, but containing the medical ailments and history of the thief. The thief then proceeds to have the surgery and follow up treatments necessary and then skips out on paying the bill. Since a false address is usually given, these unpaid accounts usually end up in collections creating a negative mark on the identity theft victim’s credit report. Only then, do victims usually become aware that any theft occurred.

This presents multiple problems because there is no straightforward process for amending medical records like there is for amending credit reports. The first priority of any purported victim of medical identity theft should be removing all information that could potentially affect your health treatment. Only after that is resolved should a victim begin working toward resolving issues that could cause a rate up in insurance premiums or a decline when seeking new medical insurance.

If, by chance, the fraudulent information about your health history, allergies or past health treatments wound up in the hands of a doctor treating you it could have fatal ramifications. So, in the event you are ever victimized by medical identity theft, make sure you prioritize accordingly.

 Prescriptions 

Medical identity thieves have also been known to use someone else’s name and social security number to obtain pricy prescriptions they otherwise couldn’t afford. Much like in the case of surgeries, having wrong prescription information linked to your medical records could be potentially harmful to your health. This information is less likely to appear on your credit report unless the thief also uses a stolen or new credit card account in your name to pay for the purchases. That makes fraudulent prescriptions issued in your name even harder to detect.

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, anyone with a medical history has fair access to those records. The United States Department of Human and Health Services has more information on this act and other things closely related at their website: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/

If you suspect you have been a victim of medical identity theft, contact your medical provider immediately and then file a police report before beginning the process of getting your medical record information corrected. Pay special attention to any medical bills that come in the mail and make sure you are being billed only for services you received. The closer attention you pay to things like this, the easier it will be to spot any fraudulent activity going on.

 False Claims  

In recent years, medical identity theft has been taken to a new level by employees within the healthcare industry who steal patient information and net millions of dollars in false claims. What turns out to be a rather large payday for them causes nothing but trouble for their purported victims. When fraudulent claims are filed under your name and medical record number, your insurance premiums go through the roof.

Many healthcare providers have taken precautions to insure that information like social security numbers (and in some cases medical record numbers) is available only to employees who absolutely need them to perform their jobs. But you can still take an extra set of precautions for identity theft protection.

When asked for your social security number or medical record number in a medical office, say the number quietly after making sure that no one else is within ear shot. When paying medical bills do not ever write your social security number on your check, and don’t write your entire medical record number on your check. Instead, write the words “Account ending in” and disclose only the last four digits. This will insure your payment is processed correctly, while still putting an extra layer of security around your private information.

 Getting Help 

In edition to the United States Department of Human and Health Services, several other websites exist to help you navigate the tumultuous water of medical identity theft. If you suspect you might have been victimized by a form of medical identity theft, you may find the following sites helpful:

www.healthprivacy.org: This website has information on health privacy.

www.worldprivacyforum.org/medicalidentitytheft.html: The World Privacy Forum offers tips about what to do if you are a victim and also has links to other resources.

Medical identity fraud proves that identity theft isn’t just about monetary losses and inconveniences. It may actually pose a serious threat to your health and wellbeing. So make sure you do all you can to protect your identity.