Today’s consumer is well-aware of
the devastating effects identity fraud and theft can have on
one’s credit. But what most people don’t realize is how
the same crime can negatively affect a victim’s medical
history in the setting of a hospital or a doctor’s
office. That is why it is important for employers to
become more proactive in educating their employees about
medical identity fraud and how to take steps to avoid falling
victim to it – especially in the wake of extended access
through healthcare reform.
In cases of medical identity fraud,
the perpetrator would use another person’s name, social
security number and/or insurance information without prior
consent to obtain medical goods or services or make false
claims for those goods or services. This often results in
erroneous information being entered into existing medical
records or even the creation of fictitious medical records in
the victim’s name. As a result, the victim could be at
risk of unnecessary financial responsibility, but even worse,
additional health risks resulting from false information of
things like blood type or medications or alterations of
medical charts.
How does it happen? While many
hospitals and physician’s offices are well-equipped to protect
confidential patient data, such information can be stolen by
staff members, or people posing as maintenance workers or
contractors – and sometimes by other patients. In a recent case near
Chicago, seven
people were arrested for their part in an identity theft ring
involving medical records from Northwestern Memorial
Hospital. The records were obtained when one of the ring
leaders got a temp job as a maintenance subcontractor and was
granted unsupervised after-hours access to rooms where
confidential patient records were stored. Such conditions
provide the perfect opportunity for medical identity
theft.
Despite the risks posed by medical
identity fraud, it continues to be the one of the least
studied, under-documented and difficult to fix of all identity
theft crimes, which is why the employer’s role as a source of
information can be critical to prevention. Employers can
advise workers to make sure they receive a hard copy of their
health records, so that even if their medical charts are
altered, the employee has proof of what they used to look
like. It is also good practice to have employees monitor
their own health records, specifically Explanation of Benefits
(EOBs) from carriers, as well as their personal credit
reports. Employers can also point their workers in the
direction of valuable resources, like the World Privacy Forum,
which has put together a list of helpful consumer tips on the
subject.
Medical identity fraud can leave a
trail of false information that can haunt your employees for
years, and in this age of healthcare reform where more and
more people are getting access to care, one can never be too
careful in the protection of their own medical
information. Often, employers can be a source of guidance
in a confusing world; and the more you can communicate and
educate your workforce, the better of it will be for your
entire company.
For more information, please click
on the following links:
