Medical identity theft occurs when people use your personal information to make unwarranted claims to Medicare or other health insurers. Left unchecked, medical identity theft can wreak havoc on your medical care, deplete taxpayer dollars, and hurt your credit. Sadly, medical identity theft has become one of the more common forms of identity theft, as many people are unaware that they are at risk.
It is a serious issue that can be a major inconvenience for you, especially in the future. Here are some steps you can take to stop and prevent medical identity theft.
How Can I Prevent Medical Identity Theft?
The first thing you can do is protect your medical documents. This includes medical records, prescriptions, or health insurance cards. Also, these are only a few medical documents that fraudsters can take advantage of, so make sure they are all protected and stored in safe places. Ensure to never divulge any medical information to any source that contacts you outside of the outlined/established communication methods that your insurance company or physician(s) say they will use. No personnel from Medicare will cold call you and ask you to read your account numbers back to them in order to mail you a new card.
To get rid of medical documents, shred the papers before throwing them away. For prescription bottles, use a permanent marker to block out personal information. To avoid medical identity theft altogether, consider going paperless.
How do I Know if Someone is Using My Medical Information?
Being the victim of fraud is never a pleasant feeling. If you know the warning signs, you can stop the problem before it gets worse. If you think you may be the victim of medical identity fraud, here are some things to look out for:
- You receive a bill for a medical appointment you did not attend.
- You notice suspicious activity in your explanation of benefits.
- You get a call from a debt collector about a bill you do not owe.
- You notice debt collections that you don’t recognize when looking at your credit report.
- You’re notified that you have reached your insurance benefits limit despite knowing otherwise.
- You are denied insurance coverage for a pre-existing condition you do not have.
What Should I Do if Someone is Using My Medical Information?
Before anything, set aside a moment to take a deep breath. Medical identity fraud is inconvenient and uncomfortable, so check in with yourself before moving forward. After that, start compiling as much information as possible to stop the thief in its tracks.
It is possible to reduce the damage before it gets worse. Here are the steps you need to take if you have confirmed that you are a victim of medical identity fraud:
- Review your medical records and report inconsistencies
- Look for errors on your credit reports and report medical billing inaccuracies
- Contact an identity theft lawyer and make a personal recovery plan
We know how scary, frustrating, and helpless it can be when you discover your identity has been stolen. At the Holland Law Firm, we have worked with many clients who have fallen victim to medical identity theft, and as bad as it may seem at first, there are avenues to take to mitigate the damage and hold those at fault responsible. Don’t feel helpless.