Report: Medical Identity Theft - The Information Crime that Can Kill You

Medical Identity Theft: Part I - Summary

THE DANGEROUS IMPACT OF MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT, THE CRIME THAT HAS HIDDEN ITSELF ALL TOO WELL THE VICTIMS’ PERSPECTIVE: LACK OF RECOURSE, LACK OF RIGHTS, AND LACK OF HELP ELECTRONIC RECORDS, HEALTH NETWORKS, AND THE CHALLENGES MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT BRINGS TO BOTH MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS ARE FALLING THROUGH GAPS BACKGROUND OF THIS REPORT FINDINGS RECOMMENDATIONS

Medical Identity Theft: Discussion - Definition of Medical Identity Theft

Medical identity theft occurs when someone uses a person’s name and sometimes other parts of their identity – such as insurance information or Social Security Number-- without the victim’s knowledge or consent to obtain medical services or goods, or when someone uses the person’s identity to obtain money by falsifying claims for medical services and falsifying medical records to support those claims.

Medical Identity Theft: Discussion - Medical Identity Theft by the Numbers: How Prevalent is this Problem?

STATISTICS SPECIFIC TO MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT Federal Trade Commission Medical Identity Theft Complaints Social Security Administration/Office of Inspector General (SSA/OIG) Hotline Data FTC 2003 Identity Theft Survey Identity Theft Resource Center 2003 and 2004 Survey Number of Prosecutions Conclusions regarding the medical identity theft indicators BACKGROUND: GENERAL STATISTICS ON IDENTITY THEFT BACKGROUND: GENERAL STATISTICS ON HEALTH CARE FRAUD Hotline Statistics Referrals the Inspector General’s Office of HHS took Some Form of Action On

Medical Identity Theft: Discussion - How People Have Discovered They are Victims of Medical Identity Theft

COLLECTION NOTICES RECEIPT OF SOMEONE ELSE’S BILLS NOTIFICATION BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR AN INSURANCE COMPANY NOTIFICATION BY A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER MEDICAL PROBLEM AT AN EMERGENCY ROOM NOTIFICATION OF DATA BREACH BY A MEDICAL PROVIDER DENIAL OF INSURANCE COVERAGE, NOTIFICATION THAT BENEFITS HAVE RUN OUT, OR “LIFETIME CAP” HAS BEEN REACHED REVIEW OF EXPLANATION OF MEDICAL BENEFITS NOTICES

Medical Identity Theft: Discussion - Some Dynamics of Medical Identity Theft

The intentional submission of false claims is the core of health care fraud, and the intentional misuse of personally identifying information is the core of identity theft. Medical identity takes elements from both crimes: medical identity theft is the intentional misuse of personally identifying information to receive medical goods or services, and it usually involves the creation of false medical records, or false entries into existing medical records.

Medical Identity Theft: Discussion - Recourse and Recovery Issues for Victims

Victims of medical identity theft may need help with recovery in the area of correcting medical files and insurance records. They may also need help in the area of correcting financial information. In the area of financial recovery, multiple excellent resources exist for consumers. But in the area of medical and insurance information correction and recovery, victims will not find nearly the same resources or availability of recourse.