Medical identity theft is not just a financial burden

Nobody wants to have a $ 4,000 medical bill, especially if they are not in a hospital for years. But it can happen to anyone and it happened to a recent survey conducted by the Ponemon Institute already at 5.8% of adults in America. Do you have a victim of medical identity theft costs an average of $ 20,160. The human cost is even higher.

Patients whose medical identity theft, stripped serious consequences. Health care fraud can leave events bad data inmedical records. These erroneous information, such as information about the tests, diagnoses and procedures, and great impact on future health insurance and the cost. Patients are often unaware of medical identity theft to a medical bill or collection notice makes the problem. Then, the burden of proof in patients and is difficult to obtain legitimate medical records clean. The consequences can be life threatening and can lead to serious medicalTreatment of errors and deaths.

We are all in danger. Our personal information is scattered everywhere. U.S. companies hire subcontractors in other countries to provide customer service, data processing and many other features. Your and my doctor says you can access data in the Philippines, because labor is cheaper. But also consider, within the borders of our country, we can all recall stories of stolen laptops to remain in government, lost backup tapes.

LastCVS year, the giant pharmacy was $ 2,250,000, why pay to protect sensitive financial and medical information of its customers and employees, that's fine.

Only recently, 12 000 Medicare members of their protected health information was compromised went wrong with a simple donation archive. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island won a binder to a charitable organization, before removing any investigation that included Medicare health PHI (ProtectedBasic information).

While all of these terrible stories I think the real danger is still people who work for doctors, clinics and hospitals. Steal patient data in minutes by downloading the information on a flash drive and sell them on the black market. This can create a disgruntled employee or someone new to take a position simply to steal information.

The only real protection is to keep a watchful eye on your identity in the media. Check your insurance explanationBenefits, search online and make sure that the service costs actually received, ask your insurer, we will send you an annual statement for all medical services.