Medical identity theft occurs when someone uses another person's health information for medical services, leading to potential financial and credit issues for the victim. To detect it, individuals should regularly review medical records and insurance statements for discrepancies, and to correct it, they must obtain their medical records, report inaccuracies to providers, and keep detailed documentation of their communications. Preventative measures include being cautious about sharing health information, shredding sensitive documents, and securely managing personal data.

1. Medical Identity Theft
Medical identity theft is when an individual uses someone else's name or health insurance number
for medical reasons including visiting a doctor, getting prescription drugs, filing claims with another
person's insurance provider or receiving other types of medical care. Medical identity theft is a
serious issue because the thief's medical history and treatment gets mixed in with the wrong person,
it may result in payments and fees for the affected individual and may even affect a person's credit
report. The best way to protect against this type of theft is to check medical records and correct any
discrepancies.
How to Detect
Detecting medical identity theft requires that individuals read through their medical and insurance
statements on a regular basis. Typically, medical statements are sent after treatment has been
received, and people should always verify the name, provider, date of service and what type of
service was rendered to ensure no one else is using their name or health insurance to receive
medical care. Any time there is a discrepancy, consumers should call their health care provider and
report the problem as soon as possible. There are other warning signs of medical identity theft that
individuals should be attentive to including a bill for a medical service the person in question did not
receive or a call from a debt collector for a medical bill an individual should not owe. Other warning
signs include a notice from a health plan that a person has reached the limit of their benefits for the
year when they believe they haven't or even a denial from an insurance company for a condition a
person does not have. Checking a credit report is another way to protect against medical identity
theft; for example, medical collection notices usually appear on a person's credit report and it's
important to check for articles consumers don't recognize. It's always best to double check on a
discrepancy because the key to fixing this type of fraud is often acting quickly.
How to Correct

2. Step 1: Obtain Records
If a person believes they have been a victim of medical identity theft, they should immediately
request copies of their medical records. Under federal law, consumers have the right to request this
information; however, obtaining copies sometimes requires payment. Occasionally, a provider might
refuse to give a person this information because they are concerned with violating privacy rights. In
this situation, a consumer must submit their request in writing and allow 30 days to pass. If their
request hasn't been meant within that time frame, individuals may complain to the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights. Once records have been obtained, individuals
should check for errors and contact each facility where the thief may have used their information
including doctor offices, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and their healthcare insurance provider to
report the theft. It's crucial that victims of medical identity theft keep a written record of all
correspondence with medical providers and insurance companies including copies of mail and emails
received as well as the name of individuals spoken to, date and time and the context of all phone
conversations.
Step 2: Request Accounting of Disclosures
All health plans and medical providers are required to provide consumers with a copy of accounting
of disclosures once a year that is free of charge. This record will include the details of medical
information a provider has sent and where that information was sent to. Individuals should request
this document from all of their medical providers and their health insurance company if they believe
they have been a victim of medical identity theft. This record will show who has copies of wrong
information and the details of who to contact to correct this information.
Step 3: Correct Errors
Finally, consumers will need to contact all medical providers and their insurance company to explain
the theft and request errors be corrected. It's a good idea to include a copy of the medical record
with discrepancies and highlight disputed items. Individuals should keep all original documents.
They should also send these requests through certified mail with a return receipt to keep a record of
when these requests were received, and stapling these receipts to the copies of letters and
documents that were sent is a good idea. A consumer's health plan and medical provider is
responsible for fixing these errors and informing anyone else they sent the wrong information to. If
they refuse, individuals should ask them to include a statement of their reported dispute in their
medical record. They will also need to file a police report or an identity theft report with the Federal
Trade Commission regarding the fraud. Additionally, a thief who uses another person's information
for medical care may have used their information in other occasions. In this situation, it's important
to contact the three credit reporting companies Experian, TransUnion and Equifax and send copies
of their identity theft report or their police report regarding the matter. Individuals may want to
consider placing a fraud alert or a security freeze on their credit to prevent other types of identity
theft.
Protecting Information
There are ways to protect against medical identity theft; for instance, individuals should be wary of
anyone who calls and requests their health plan ID number especially if they are offering free health
services or products. Identity thieves often try to trick individuals by pretending to work for health
care providers. It's best not to share this information over the phone or through email. If this type of

3. information must be shared, individuals should tell the person calling or emailing that they will call
the health care provider's home office number to provide the information. In addition, consumers
should shred all copies of their medical information including health insurance forms, prescription
copies and physician statements to assure this information can't be stolen. Furthermore, prior to
sharing information such as an insurance account number or Social Security number on a website,
it's best to read a website's privacy policy and ensure they use SSL-encription by checking a
browser's status bar for a lock icon or an s next to the site's URL.