By
Eric Rose
Submitted On August 15, 2009
You haven't had any real health problems nor have you stepped
foot in an emergency room lately. Having said that, I'm sure you would
be surprised to learn that you owe thousands of dollars worth of
emergency-service medical bills because you weren't protecting your
identity.
That's what happens when you're a victim of medical I.D. theft. You're advancing in life and decide to purchase a car. When you apply for a car loan, you then discover debts on your credit report for emergency room visits at places in the country you've never been.
It turns out that you're a victim of a fast growing crime known as medical identity theft.
Recent federal data states more than 250,000 Americans a year are victims of medical identity theft. This number continues to increase. Some experts say because of the increased use of electronic medical records systems built without extensive safeguards.
An uncountable number of people does not yet know they are victims. They may not know that their medical information has been interfered with for months or even years until, as in many documented cases, it shows up in collections on a credit report.
While you're unaware that your medical identity has been stolen, your insurance company may continue to pay the fraudulent claims without your knowledge. You're likely to learn of the fraud only when trying to make a legitimate claim and the insurance company notifies you that you've reached your lifetime cap on benefits.
Imagine discovering incorrect information in your medical files during a doctor or hospital visit. This definitely poses a bigger risk than the finances. The medical records may now contain vital information like blood type, allergies, prescription drug use or a history of disease that is just plain wrong. In an emergency, doctors could treat you based on this false information. That's why experts are calling this "The killer crime of our century."
When medical identity theft fraudulent charges remain unpaid and unresolved for years, it could permanently damage your credit rating. Under the federal law known as Hipaa, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, you are entitled to a copy of your medical records but you may have to pay a large fee for them.
Worse, Hipaa privacy rules can actually work against you. Once your medical information is intermingled with another person's information, you may have a difficult time accessing your files. The privacy law states that the thief's medical information now contained in your records must be kept confidential too.
When you're able to correct a record in your doctor's office, the flawed information may have been passed on to dozens of other health care providers and insurers. You now have the responsibility of tracking down and resolving these errors on your own. Be proactive and have professionals on your side when protecting your identity.
That's what happens when you're a victim of medical I.D. theft. You're advancing in life and decide to purchase a car. When you apply for a car loan, you then discover debts on your credit report for emergency room visits at places in the country you've never been.
It turns out that you're a victim of a fast growing crime known as medical identity theft.
Recent federal data states more than 250,000 Americans a year are victims of medical identity theft. This number continues to increase. Some experts say because of the increased use of electronic medical records systems built without extensive safeguards.
An uncountable number of people does not yet know they are victims. They may not know that their medical information has been interfered with for months or even years until, as in many documented cases, it shows up in collections on a credit report.
While you're unaware that your medical identity has been stolen, your insurance company may continue to pay the fraudulent claims without your knowledge. You're likely to learn of the fraud only when trying to make a legitimate claim and the insurance company notifies you that you've reached your lifetime cap on benefits.
Imagine discovering incorrect information in your medical files during a doctor or hospital visit. This definitely poses a bigger risk than the finances. The medical records may now contain vital information like blood type, allergies, prescription drug use or a history of disease that is just plain wrong. In an emergency, doctors could treat you based on this false information. That's why experts are calling this "The killer crime of our century."
When medical identity theft fraudulent charges remain unpaid and unresolved for years, it could permanently damage your credit rating. Under the federal law known as Hipaa, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, you are entitled to a copy of your medical records but you may have to pay a large fee for them.
Worse, Hipaa privacy rules can actually work against you. Once your medical information is intermingled with another person's information, you may have a difficult time accessing your files. The privacy law states that the thief's medical information now contained in your records must be kept confidential too.
When you're able to correct a record in your doctor's office, the flawed information may have been passed on to dozens of other health care providers and insurers. You now have the responsibility of tracking down and resolving these errors on your own. Be proactive and have professionals on your side when protecting your identity.
Do you want to take the risk of being a victim of the fastest
growing crime? Would you like to have the best of the best when it comes
to protecting your identity [http://www.Identity-Theft-411.info]? They
do not just give you a kit in the mail to do it yourself. You will have a
licensed investigator assigned to you from the world's leading risk
consulting company assist you every step of the way if you become a
victim of not only medical identity theft, but in all the 5 areas of
identity theft. [http://www.Identity-Theft-411.info]
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