Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger
medical identity theft can make you sick. As I explained once eloquently on Early Show CBS , if the medical identity theft happens to you, "you're screwed." And it is true.
medical identity theft occurs when the author uses your name and, in some cases, other aspects of your identity such as insurance information to obtain medical treatment or medications or make false claims of treatment or medication. As a result, wind erroneous or fraudulent entries on your medical records or sometimes entirely fictitious medical records are created in your name. Having sore someone else noted on your medical records can create a lot of confusion, could negatively affect even your own health or medical treatment.
Last week, a new rule requires health care providers, health plans, and other entities covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) informing individuals against any violation of their medical information. A breach in this case, is defined as "acquisition, access, use or disclosure of protected health information in an unauthorized manner [by the HIPAA Privacy Rule] that compromises the security or privacy of health information protected. "
most states have required companies to disclose data breaches in recent years. Since the ChoicePoint breach in 2005, states have implemented notification laws. at the time ChoicePoint is only required to notify California residents. once word spreads that residents of other States were also compromised in the breach, ChoicePoint has become the poster child for not doing in response to a data breach.
Since health care facilities often handle and store some of the same sensitive personal information that companies make these facilities are now subject to similar regulations. But protect against medical identity theft is not as easy as you protect against the financial identity theft.
medical statements and identification or insurance cards can be stolen from your mail and used to steal your identity. Install a locking mailbox to prevent this. You should also avoid wearing identification or medical insurance card in your wallet unless absolutely necessary, for example when you have a real go. Keep those cards and other medical documents in a locked drawer or file cabinet, and shred sensitive documents before the disgarding. When you receive a new card, destroying the old.
If a thief can not steal your financial identity, your medical identity may be less attractive. Either get a credit freeze, set up your own fraud alerts, or to invest in identity theft protection. protection of identity theft of some services, such as TrustedID, monitor your medical records in order to detect medical identity theft.
Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker, discusses the medical identity theft on Early Show CBS .
Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, an expert on identity theft, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 and start-up companies as a consultant on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. the thoughts and advice of Siciliano on all these issues often appear in both television and print media news, including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of safety training as a member of the American Society for Industrial Security. He is the author of two books, including The Safety Minute: Living on high alert; How to take control of your personal safety and to prevent fraud . He also established a partnership with Uni-Ball to help raise awareness of the growing threat of identity theft and provide tips on how you can protect yourself.