Medical Identity TheftMedical Identity Theft - An Unhealthy Crime.Imagine if you received a hefty bill for medical treatment that you know you did not have. Or, debt collectors called demanding settlement for health related debt that you know absolutely nothing about. What if, out of the blue you get notification from your health insurance company that your benefits are being cut because you have reached your limit, when you have not in fact made a claim in years. You would wonder what is going on, how could these things be happening to you, it feels like a nightmare. Nightmares like the above, and even worse, can happen if you become a victim of identity thieves who steal your health information. Medical identity theft happens when an impostor fraudulently uses your medical insurance information to obtain surgery, treatment or prescribed drugs. As with other kinds of ID theft, you usually don't know you are a victim until some time after the crime.
Reducing The Risk Of Medical Identity Theft.It is up to us as individuals to safeguard our medical information in the same way that we safeguard our financial information. However, no mater how much we do to protect ourselves against medical identity theft, some things are outside of our control. This is why the FTC says there is no fool-proof way to avoid medical identity theft. While the vast majority of medical staff are honest individuals, some cases of medical ID theft begins with insider crime. Medical personal have been known to duplicate patient records and use the information to fraudulently obtain treatment or drugs. Alternatively they sell the information on to ID fraud gangs. Doctors, consultants, pharmacists and heads of clinics have used patient information to submit fraudulent bills to patients insurers. An unsuspecting victim's relations or close friends may impersonate the victim to obtain their health insurance benefits. Because insider crime is largely outside our control the FTC acknowledges that you can't be sure of avoiding medical ID theft, but says you can take a few steps to minimize your risk. A Phone Call From An Identity Thief.Be very wary of giving out personal information over the phone. Fraudsters use the telephone to try and obtain personal information to help them carry out many kinds of ID theft including medical identity theft.
They could claim to be your doctor's office, your health insurance provider, a health specialist, a hospital that you have received treatment from or any organization that would have an interest in your health. These crooks can sound very convincing, the story they give you and the questions they ask can seem very innocent. They will be well rehearsed and proficient in digging for personal information. They may claim that your medical records need updating. They may scare you into believing something is wrong. They may offer a bargain priced health plan with all the cover you need, but of course you have to make your mind up now and supply them with personal information. The bargain health plan is unlikely to exist, but the medical ID thieves have got what they want, your medical information. If you are suspicious about an unsolicited phone call do not give any information, end the call if necessary. If you think the call may genuinely be from your doctor etc., call back, but do not call any number they supply, get the number from your records or the phone book. More information on identity theft and phone scams. Treat That Email With Suspicion.In the same way that medical identity theft criminals use the phone to trick people into divulging their personal information, they will use email. Any unsolicited email requesting your medical information should be regarded with a great deal of suspicion. Emails can be spoofed to look exactly like they were sent by your medical insurance provider or whoever. Never click on a link, or a button, in one of these 'phishing' emails, the link will likely take you to a dummy site.
If it worries you that the email may be a genuine message, pick up the phone and call your doctor's office, or whoever the message seems to be from. Look the number up, do not call any number contained in the message. If you think you need to contact them online, open a new browser window and enter the correct web address, not any contained in the message. Otherwise search Google for the correct web address. More information on ID theft and phishing emails. Take All Precautions With Your Health Information.Many medical organizations are now storing records online and it is essential that you take all precautions if accessing your health information on your computer. Use secure passwords and change them frequently. Be careful too with paper documentation. Do not throw out any documents containing medical information without first shredding them. We are all aware that criminals rummage through trash, even the most harmless seeming health detail could assist those criminals to commit medical identity theft. Scraping labels off medicine bottles and completely obliterating any personal identifying information on packaging before throwing them out is also a good precaution. Try to ensure that you are not overheard when telling medical staff, or others that need to know, any of your personal details. Check Your EOB.Review very thoroughly the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statement that your health care plan providers should send to after you receive treatment. Look carefully for any treatment or benefits that you know you did not receive or dates that you did not receive treatment. Look too for any inaccuracies in group or identity numbers. Report any discrepancy that you find to your health care provider, (there is often a toll free number on your EOB.) Mistakes could be simple clerical errors or evidence of medical identity fraud. Once each year request a copy of your credit reports from the three major nationwide credit reporting companies. These companies are concerned with things financial, not medical, but if they show unaccountable medical bills it could be an indication of fraud. The three main credit bureaus:
Unfortunately there is no central bureau for medical records. If you suspect you are a victim of medical identity theft you must contact each and every health care provider that you use. This includes hospitals, doctors, health clinics, pharmacies and health plan providers. Request a copy of your records, you have a right to do this but may have to pay a fee for your copy. © copyright surveillanceforsecurity.com By being aware of identity theft facts you can greatly reduce your chances of identity fraud. |
