Our lives would be considerably more difficult were it not for the tremendous advances made by medical science. Unfortunately, the data technologies that enable your doctor to examine your medical history so you can benefit from those advances are increasingly targets of identity thieves.
Walecia Konrad’s recent story in The New York Times tells a terrifying tale of how a Houston man on the verge of marriage and buying his first house found out during a credit-report check for his mortgage that he owed thousands for medical services he’d never used. Thieves had taken the man’s Social Security number and racked up the bills.
It’s also troubling to learn that crooks are helping themselves to insurance member ID and group policy numbers to order treatments, counting on physicians and hospitals asking no further questions. The federal government hasn’t tabulated medical data theft victims since 2007, when there were 250,000 of them nationwide, but a prominent privacy expert tells the Times that the growth in medical records systems over the past two years means the number undoubtedly has gone up.
And one more thing – if a criminal gets treated while impersonating you, that person’s medical data would get mixed with yours, meaning your records are now not just incorrect, but potentially dangerous. That’s frightening to contemplate.
Konrad’s piece ends with some helpful tips for steering clear of medical ID theft:
- Keep track of your insurance card, and treat it as carefully as you would your Social Security number.
- Examine your benefits-claim statements carefully for signs of treatment you didn’t receive.
- Request an annual list of itemized claims from your insurer.
- If you haven’t done it by now, check your credit report.
- Get a copy of your medical records and store them in a safe place.
- Say no to free medical services such as blood-pressure tests.
