Key Considerations for a Successful Hospital Visit
Medical identity theft is becoming a major problem for hospitals and medical facilities. It’s now the fastest-growing type of identity theft worldwide, affecting around 2 million people every year. Over 5,300 doctors have reported dealing with medical identity theft.
This type of theft happens when someone uses another person’s name and sometimes other personal information, like insurance details, without their knowledge or permission to obtain medical services or goods or to make fake claims. There are two main types of medical identity theft: copying a patient’s identity and stealing a physician’s professional identity. The latter can be particularly damaging as it can tarnish a physician’s reputation and professional records. Physicians who fall victim to this type of theft often have to spend significant time and money to clear their names from false records.
Legal action may also be taken against the physicians and their institutions under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act if they fail to protect patient data. This loss of trust can impact the patients’ confidence in their doctors and the medical facility.
For patients, identity theft can lead to serious medical errors, as having mixed-up patient identities can cause incorrect treatments or diagnoses. Patients can also face significant expenses to resolve the damage done to their identities and credit scores when the theft is committed by crooked staff members.
Medical identity theft affects everyone, even those not directly involved, because it involves the misuse of public funds in programs like Medicare. This misuse means there’s less money available for legitimate medical treatments. It also pushes up costs for the private sector, leading to higher insurance premiums for consumers. It’s a widespread issue that needs to be taken seriously and reported immediately.
Fortunately, medical identity theft can be identified with careful attention. Here are some tips to prevent it, according to Paul L. Dolan of American Medical News:
1. Be cautious of calls asking for patients’ medical conditions and personal information. If a suspicious call is received, it’s a red flag for potential fraud.
2. Look out for unfamiliar names on Medicare summary notices and insurance benefit explanations. Such discrepancies should be investigated and reported immediately to Medicare and other authorities.
3. Regularly check Medicare’s Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System to ensure that only legitimate medical activities are recorded under your name.
4. Ask for two forms of identification from patients when they check in. Verify IDs thoroughly, especially if they look suspicious.
5. For new patients, ask for referral sources to confirm their reasons for visiting and establish their identity.
6. Check for inconsistencies in medical records, which can now be done more easily with advancements in health information exchanges.
If medical identity theft is suspected, doctors should report it to their insurers for investigation, and patients should notify their medical plan companies immediately.
A good reputation and credibility are crucial in the medical field. Identity theft in hospitals can easily destroy these, so it’s important for practitioners, patients, and healthcare organizations to take strong preventative measures. The public needs to recognize that this crime affects everyone and is far from being victimless.
