Most people are aware of the commonality of identity theft; we hear about it on commercials, from our banks, credit card companies, etc. But have you heard about medical identity theft? Basically, it's the crime that results when someone steals another person's insurance information or social security number in order to acquire their own medical and healthcare benefits, particularly when it comes to prescription drugs or emergency hospital visits. Two main factors are involved in this type of fraud: financial security breaches and healthcare security breaches. The effects of this increasingly common type of identity theft can be far-reaching and severely detrimental to victims.

Unfortunately, medical identity theft is not as easy to detect as the more common and well-known forms of identity fraud, which means it is also not as easy to correct. Medical identity theft can ruin victims' health records, histories, and even medical diagnoses. Past victims have received bills for tests, prescriptions, and even surgeries that were never performed on them personally. Make certain you take steps towards identity theft prevention--always look for medical bills or notations in your records that aren't applicable to your own health history.

If you ever are mailed a bill for treatment you didn't receive or a nurse asks you questions that seem to apply to someone else's medical condition, it's likely that you've been the victim of medical identity fraud. This crime can not only ruin your health records, your rapport with insurance providers and your credit history--it can also be potentially life-threatening. If someone with a different blood type has stolen your identity, you could receive the wrong blood should you ever need a transfusion.

Not only will thieves heist your insurance data for their own use, but they will usually neglect to pay insurance deductibles and co-pays, which leaves victims with credit reports detailing strange medical debts. If you notice anything like this on your credit report--dispute it right away, as you have probably been victimized. Monitoring your credit report is just one identity theft protection technique that can help keep you safe. 1 out of every 6 Americans is without medical insurance, a statistic that implies that there is great temptation for some desperate people to engage in medical identity theft in emergency circumstances. When someone uses your insurance information in an emergency care setting, they are probably going to get away with it as these centers are less likely to catch the error and definitely won't refuse care to the patient.

Though there are no definite statistics regarding the number of medical identity theft cases that occur each year in the U.S., insurance carriers and hospitals agree that medical fraud is without a doubt on the rise. It has been estimated that 250,000 + U.S. citizens have been victimized so far, according to the World Privacy Forum. If you believe wholeheartedly that your insurance info and medical records are safe, think again. Because insurance providers share patient information with each other, even though you have cleared up a tainted medical record doesn't mean you're protected across the board should you choose to eventually switch providers.

If, heaven forbid, a medical identity thief ever uses your good name to seek treatment of their own, remember that you could later be denied insurance coverage depending on the treatment and/or drugs that they sought. Insurance agencies are infamous for refusing coverage for treatment to people with pre-existing conditions or histories of certain drug use. Read the following identity theft prevention tips for more information on how you can safeguard yourself and your loved ones from this horrible crime:

• Always be diligent about checking your credit report--this is important for all types of identity theft protection. Medical bills that you don't recognize need to be disputed with credit reporting agencies in addition to your insurance carrier.

• Bills and notices from your insurance agency should always be opened immediately. If you're ever billed for treatment you didn't receive, dispute the bill right away with the necessary authorities. Always shred these documents before throwing them in the trash.

• If you receive mail from a hospital or medical office where you were never a patient, don't assume it's junk just yet. Open these immediately, as they could be notifications or bills for services you never received. Let credit agencies know so they can put fraud alerts on your file right away--also inform your insurance company that someone has potentially stolen your information.

• Have you been the victim of medical identity theft? File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission ( http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft ) by calling their Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338).

• Do you think that you've been a victim of Medicare/Medicaid fraud? Call 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477), contact the Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-368-1019 or go to their website at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/ .

Denise Richardson is an author, freelance writer and advocate who educates the public on identity theft protection, identity theft prevention and credit reporting issues. She is a Board member of American Consumer Credit Education Support Services, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on credit matters. She is founder of www.givemebackmycredit.com .

Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com

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