In Part 1 we defined Medical Identity Theft as when a thief uses your name or health insurance number to see a doctor, get prescription drugs, file claims with your insurance provider, or get other care..  We also looked at some statistics and saw some of the ways that identity thieves use to steal your identity.  We also mentioned in Part 1 that victims of financial identity theft have a much cleaner path to restore their identity than those whose medical identities are stolen. There is no central clearing house you can contact and most likely your medical information is scattered among many different providers.

Under HIPPA, the federal law that addresses medical privacy, you are entitled to a copy of your medical records, however you might have to pay for it.  If there is a error, you can add a correction to the records, but you can’t have information deleted.  Another twist is if an impostor gets healthcare services in your name, you may really be stuck.  Helathcare providers may actually refuse to let you see your own record because once it is intermingled with someone else’s, that person’s privacy must be protected.

So what can you do to protect yourself? 

As you can see, most of the cases of Medical Identity Theft are outside of your control.  Usually you are not aware that your medical record has been compromised until you get a call from a collection agency demanding payment for a procedure that was done using your identity.  As more and more people are left without health insurance these days, medical identity theft might become an option to someone who is desperate and needs urgent medical care but can’t afford it.  This is not to condone the action but you can see that there is a market for people consume this information. The Federal Government is also encouraging health care organizations to invest in electronic health care records.

Here are some simple steps you can do to protect yourself against Medical Identity Theft:

• Protect your health insurance information, which includes you health insurance cards you keep in your wallet or purse, shredding any medical related papers you want to throw away.
• Review your statements from your health insurance company to make sure it is correct.
• Get a copy of your medical records from healthcare providers and review them.  Check to make sure the information is consistent with treatment you’ve received.
• Get a copy of your credit report from the 3 credit bureaus.  Review the information especially any collection notices for unpaid bills.
• File a police report the moment you realize that your medical record has been compromised
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

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