Jan

8

Medical Identity Theft

Posted by Pennie

January 8, 2009 |

Doctors are fun
Creative Commons License photo credit: kokopinto

Well, it seems there’s another sort of identity theft underway out there and it is medical identity theft. This happens when your name or insurance info is used without your knowledge or consent. An example would be using your stolen ID card to receive emergency room services.

It’s fairly easy for this to go undetected for a period of time and may only be noticed if you receive a bill for a service you know you did not receive.

Our own granddaughter, age 6, seems to be having some problems already and they were initially found when she received some mail concerning things she had never had done. Her mother is putting in quite a bit of time on the phone trying to get it straightened out with providers. Providers agree that something is wrong and are working diligently to get it all figured out.

But in the meantime, they’ve suggested that my daughter go to the children’s school and make sure there is a notice on file that the kids are not to be allowed to go with anyone other than a few designated people: their parents and grandparents. This is pretty scary stuff for rural America where they live.

To protect yourself from medical identity theft, review, review, review. Look carefully at anything you get from your insurance company, doctor, hospital, clinic, etc. Check for visits, services or equipment you did not receive. Look at the benefits that have been paid out on your behalf. Any discrepancies should be reported immediately to your provider, insurance company or both.

Getting a copy of your credit report periodically and checking for collection notices from hospitals, etc. that you haven’t used, is another good way to check up on medical identity theft. Be careful with your insurance card. If you should accidentally lose it, notify your insurer immediately.

Be alert and be aware. Don’t let your medical identity be stolen. For more information you can visit:

The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 1-800-368-1019, or online at  www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/consumer_summary.pdf

World Privacy Forum, 760-436-2489, or online at www.worldprivacyforum.org/medidtheft_consumertips.html


Comments

4 Comments so far

  1. singlemom on January 17, 2009 11:24 am

    Thank you for the heads up on this one. I will let the people that I know in on this. I hope that everything works out well for your granddaughter.

  2. Medical Identity Theft « Living the Low-Income Life on January 17, 2009 12:13 pm

    [...] and tells us the basic events regarding her 6 year old granddaughter. You can read the blog here: http://empty-nest.contentquake.com/2009/01/08/medical-identity-theft/#comment-5544.   I thought that this was important enough to pass along to everyone. I couldn’t afford to [...]

  3. Mini Homestead Happenings for 1/17/2009 « Mini Homestead…In A Trailer Park on January 17, 2009 12:32 pm

    [...] and tells us the basic events regarding her 6 year old granddaughter. You can read the blog here: http://empty-nest.contentquake.com/2009/01/08/medical-identity-theft/#comment-5544.   I thought that this was important enough to pass along to everyone. I couldn’t afford to [...]

  4. Medical Identity Theft « Mainely Thoughts on January 17, 2009 12:47 pm

    [...] and tells us the basic events regarding her 6 year old granddaughter. You can read the blog here: http://empty-nest.contentquake.com/2009/01/08/medical-identity-theft/#comment-5544.   I thought that this was important enough to pass along to everyone. I couldn’t afford to [...]

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