Watch Out for Medical Identity Theft

The Web Nurse Blog reports that medical identity theft is on the rise.  Medical identity theft occurs when someone uses your identity for health insurance or treatment reasons and in the process, changes your medical records regarding blood type, allergies, and even gender.

Because it is difficult to correct your medical records, the Web Nurse Blog offers the following tips for protecting yourself from medical identity theft:

• Request and review copies of your medical records.
• Obtain a Medical Information Bureau report, which is complied annually and lists all people who applied for disability, health, or life insurance in the last seven years.
• Obtain an Explanation of Benefit report that lists benefits paid on your behalf.
• Review bills, notices, and statements. 
• Protect your medical information.  For example, ensure that your social security number is different than your insurance ID number.
• Be aware that hospital personal may be involved in identity theft.  

Estate planners drafting documents relating to medical treatment should be aware of potential abuses of information contained in these documents and should limit, as much as possible, information that is sensitive to identity theft.

See The Web Nurse Blog, The Ultimate Guide to Health Insurance Theft – A Growing Problem, April 27, 2010.