Dangers Of Medical Identity Theft

Identity theft is a worldwide phenomenon with very personal results to those who've been victimized by con artists and thieves.

You and your loved one need to be ever vigilant in guarding personal, financial and medical identities. Your loved one's medical identity could be a target of thieves who wish to capitalize on insurance and/or benefits. According to a study from the Ponemon Institute, medical identity theft rose 22% in 2014, affecting 2.3 million Americans.

How does that work? It works the same way that a con man phishes for information in e-mails, or that “lawyers” look for information when helping a mark recover sweepstakes money—when the person never even participated in a sweepstakes. Thieves get hold of Social Security information and insurance information and use it for their own purposes.

Actually, medical identity theft can be worse than simple financial identity theft. Every time a thief uses someone else's medical identity, some of the thief's information mixes with the victim's. If your loved one's medical identity is compromised and the thief gets medical treatment as them, those records may be tainted by the thief's blood type, a drug showing up in the thief's system, or a malady that your loved one doesn't have. All of these incorrect findings could be attributed to your loved one. This can lead to a person receiving incorrect treatment and could result in your loved one being injured or becoming sick.

Thieves can also use your or your loved one's information to get prescription drugs. Again, if your loved one's medical information mixes with that of the thief, their insurance and credit will take a hit. Take a look at your loved one's medical records. Have they received bills for medical services or equipment they did not receive? Have they been billed twice for the same thing? Has your loved one been ‘denied coverage' for a condition they don't even have? Vigilance is key here in the same way you guard your loved one's financial identity.

Take the time to review Medicare Summary Notices and Explanations of Benefits and be on the lookout for inaccurate charges on bills. If you find discrepancies like those mentioned above, contact the health plan or medical provider, and demand that they be removed. Document all of your loved one's visits to the physician and keep receipts for all medical services and equipment. Guard health plan IDs, Medicare numbers and Social Security numbers carefully. Scam artists have been known to offer “free” medical equipment and then ask for this personal information – don't fall for it! Do not supply these numbers over the phone or online unless you initiated the contact.

The Internet has made it easier to manage health care. Unfortunately, it has also made it easier for thieves to gather personal health information. Before supplying health plan IDs, Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers or other personal information online, find out why it is needed, how it will be used and by whom, and how it will be kept secure – read the website's privacy policy carefully. Don't give your loved one's information to ANYONE but Medicare-approved physicians and providers.