| We are all aware of the rampant crime of | | | | they will a credit card. As thethief continues to |
| Identity | | | | rack up bills for illegitimate expenses the problem |
| Theft. And if you are one of the millions who | | | | becomestwofold, not only in fraudulent charges |
| have had this happen to you andhave had to | | | | being billed against your medical insurance policy, |
| unravel the tangles of trumped up credit card | | | | but thethief may confuse your medical history |
| charges and worse,then you know how | | | | with their own, by ordering tests andmedications |
| destructive this crime can be. But health insurers | | | | that you do not require. This can have a serious |
| like Blue | | | | impact on yourfuture healthcare. |
| Cross and Blue Shield are reporting a rise in a new | | | | But perhaps more insidious is when the theft |
| spin on the crime. Medical | | | | occurswhen you use your health insurance |
| ID Theft; and it can have devastating | | | | benefits legitimately at the office of amedical |
| consequences not only on your finances butalso | | | | provider and that information is lifted by an |
| on your health. | | | | unscrupulous employee andsold on the open |
| Many people with healthinsurance fail to realize | | | | market. Many hospitals and HMO's are |
| that their insurance card is as valuable, | | | | implementing plans tofight Medical ID Theft, in the |
| maybeeven more valuable then their credit card. | | | | meantime if you want to be sure your |
| When it comes to paying for medicalexpenses, | | | | informationhas not been hijacked, ask you |
| depending on the limits of your policy, a valid Blue | | | | healthcare provider for the most recent copy |
| Cross Blue Shield | | | | ofyour medical records, and ensure that all of the |
| Card can be like holding a platinum Amex Card | | | | procedures, treatments andhistory of your |
| with A Million-Dollar creditlimit. And if you are not | | | | conditions are indeed yours. Check all of your |
| aware of this be assured that thieves and | | | | billsmeticulously and look for any fraudulent |
| unscrupulousmedical providers certainly are. | | | | charges. And protect your Health |
| According to Byron Hollis, The National Anti | | | | Insurance numbers and ID Cards just as you |
| Fraud Director with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield | | | | would your credit cards and Social |
| Association, "It's an oldproblem that people are | | | | Security Number. |
| becoming more aware of..." According to the | | | | If you suspect you have been a victim of Medical |
| World Privacy | | | | ID |
| Forum since 2002 it has received more than | | | | Fraud first contact your Insurance Company and |
| 20,000 complaints of Medical IDtheft, in ever | | | | ask to speak directly to their |
| increasing annual numbers. The most obvious way | | | | Anti-Fraud unit, then contact the police, and lastly |
| that medical IDtheft occurs is if someone simply | | | | you may want to contactyour medical provider, |
| steals your insurance card and begins using itto | | | | but experts agree that since they may be |
| procure medical services. This can mount up in a | | | | involved in thecrime, it is best to contact them |
| dangerous way, becauseagain, most consumers | | | | LAST, after the police and your healthinsurance |
| are just not aware how important a lost insurance | | | | company so as not to tip the hand of the possible |
| card canbe, and will not report it immediately like | | | | perpetrator. |