When Identity
Theft Becomes Dangerous
You may be familiar with identity theft. Someone
steals your social security, bank account, or
even driver’s license number. Maybe they use
your debit card number to drain your checking
account. Or parlay your good credit record into
cash and purchases for themselves, leaving you
responsible for payment.
Just as deplorable, and possibly physically
dangerous, is the growing problem of medical
identity theft. A thief steals your medical
identity – your health insurance identification
number, or Medicare ID - then begins receiving
medical care under your name. Later, when you
see a doctor yourself or visit the emergency
room, your records and medical identity may get
mixed up. Perhaps the imposter who stole your
medical identity needed special treatment for
diabetes or heart disease, but you don’t. Your
blood types may get mixed up, or a host of other
medical problems could arise. Such thievery can
threaten your life and your wallet.
Medical identity theft affects at least 250,000
Americans each year. The numbers are rising.
Now the Federal Trade Commission is asking your
doctor to jump into the medical identity theft
prevention ring. The FTC “Red Flags Rule” was
set to go into effect June 1, but was delayed
until December 31. The rule says your doctor
must confirm your social security number, and
therefore your identity, for each visit. A
mismatch creates a red flag.
Most doctors are not fans of this new rule and
are pleased it has been delayed. Patients have
mixed feelings. True, we don’t want anyone
stealing our identities. But most doctors’
offices are paper-based, meaning our social
security numbers cannot be secured anyway.
Nothing prevents an entire host of employees,
building maintenance, sales people or others
from accessing personal information that could
easily be sold to identity thieves.
What can we patients do to protect ourselves
while we wait for better protections to be put
in place?
It’s more important than ever that we regularly
request and review copies of our medical
records, from doctor’s office notes, to test
results, to insurance paperwork. Examine your
records carefully to be sure any services listed
were provided to you, and not someone else.
Further, before throwing it away, shred any
paperwork that contains personal health
information so it can’t be stolen from your
trash or recycling, just as you do financial
records.
The life and identity you save may be your own.
...............................................
Learn more about
avoiding the consequences of medical identity
theft.
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© 2010 Trisha Torrey
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Trisha Torrey is Every Patient’s
AdvocateTM.
She offers no medical advice,
but empowers those who
want to learn more about
diagnosis and treatment options
by
providing useful tools and
resources.
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