Everyone has heard about identity theft. You lose your wallet or
purse, someone uses your credit cards to run up charges and leaves you
to foot the bill. But there are other forms of identity theft that can
have disastrous results even to the point of costing you your life. One
of these is medical identity theft.
Medical identity theft consists of having your medical records and/or medical insurance information used by someone other than you. Someone may call in a prescription in your name so the information doesn't show up on their medical records. An uninsured person might use your identity and medical insurance to receive treatment. A doctor billing an insurance company for services not performed on an insured patient he never treated. These are some examples of medical identity theft.
The problems that arise from these practices aren't limited to just an insurance company being bilked. Everything medical that happens to you, from prescription antibiotics to organ transplants are reported to an insurance clearinghouse called the Medical Information Bureau (MIB). If your MIB information is wrong, then you're more vulnerable to errors in treatment that can jeopardize your life. From adverse reactions to allergy causing medications to getting the wrong blood type in a transfusion, you're at risk. There are plenty of errors that occur in medical treatment already without compounding the problem with false information. Also, many insurance policies have annual and lifetime limits on how much service they'll pay. If the protection you've paid for is used up when you need it, then that just might become a problem.
There can also be legal ramifications. Most medical insurance does not pay for 100% of charges. You can be left responsible for the unpaid deductibles and co-payments. If the person receiving treatment under your name is found under the influence of illegal drugs, the police could show up at your door. You can be denied employment, credit or rated for insurance because of the inaccurate information that your now appears in your history.
The chances that you can discover and rectify the situation are also slim with medical identity theft. HIPPA laws make it difficult for you to get your own information. If your credit is not adversely affected, you may not know that the theft has taken place for some time after it occurs. And these types of crimes are often attributed to mistakes in paperwork.
So although medical identity theft doesn't get reported as often as financial identity theft, it is still a growing problem and one to watch out for.
Medical identity theft consists of having your medical records and/or medical insurance information used by someone other than you. Someone may call in a prescription in your name so the information doesn't show up on their medical records. An uninsured person might use your identity and medical insurance to receive treatment. A doctor billing an insurance company for services not performed on an insured patient he never treated. These are some examples of medical identity theft.
The problems that arise from these practices aren't limited to just an insurance company being bilked. Everything medical that happens to you, from prescription antibiotics to organ transplants are reported to an insurance clearinghouse called the Medical Information Bureau (MIB). If your MIB information is wrong, then you're more vulnerable to errors in treatment that can jeopardize your life. From adverse reactions to allergy causing medications to getting the wrong blood type in a transfusion, you're at risk. There are plenty of errors that occur in medical treatment already without compounding the problem with false information. Also, many insurance policies have annual and lifetime limits on how much service they'll pay. If the protection you've paid for is used up when you need it, then that just might become a problem.
There can also be legal ramifications. Most medical insurance does not pay for 100% of charges. You can be left responsible for the unpaid deductibles and co-payments. If the person receiving treatment under your name is found under the influence of illegal drugs, the police could show up at your door. You can be denied employment, credit or rated for insurance because of the inaccurate information that your now appears in your history.
The chances that you can discover and rectify the situation are also slim with medical identity theft. HIPPA laws make it difficult for you to get your own information. If your credit is not adversely affected, you may not know that the theft has taken place for some time after it occurs. And these types of crimes are often attributed to mistakes in paperwork.
So although medical identity theft doesn't get reported as often as financial identity theft, it is still a growing problem and one to watch out for.
To learn more about ID Theft and to receive a free e-book
detailing how ID Theft occurs and what you do to protect yourself,
visit http://www.clydereviews.com
Questions, comments? Write me at mail@clydereviews.com
Thanks for reading, Clyde Cathcart
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Questions, comments? Write me at mail@clydereviews.com
Thanks for reading, Clyde Cathcart
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