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.