How Do You Prevent Medical Identity Theft?
Identity theft is a crime that most of us try to prevent. However, another crime based on information in the wrong hands is on the rise: medical identity theft. This crime is especially sad because the perpetrators are usually people who simply cannot afford medical care or insurance in the US. Prevent medical identity theft as you would any identify theft. Don’t share your medical information with anyone; shred any documents related to your health care after a few years. Check all bills from a health care provider and explanation of benefits that you receive from your insurance carrier. Immediately report to your provider or insurance company any charges for services that you did not receive. Review your credit report–including medical liens–once a year for signs of medical identity theft (see Resources). Insist that health care providers and insurers fix any mistakes you find in on your record or credit report. File a police report if you suspect you are a victim of medical identit
