Health insurance is meant to provide access to essential treatments, preventive services, and emergency care for individuals and families. Unfortunately, it has also become a lucrative target for scammers.

The worst part? Some victims are finding out in the most shocking ways. Some face tax or mortgage fraud, but others discover it when they go to the doctor for a procedure. Instead of getting a surgery date, they receive a rejection letter from their insurance provider, claiming their benefits are exhausted due to multiple procedures this year—procedures they never had. Someone else used their medical ID for those procedures.

Earlier this year, Change Healthcare, a major player in the health care industry, was hit by a cyber-attack that affected thousands of health care providers, insurers, and policyholders across the nation. Alarming reports suggest that up to 50% of all U.S. medical claims could be compromised! To put that in perspective, if you’re in a waiting room with nine other people, there’s a good chance that five of you could become victims of medical identity theft within the year. The fallout from this type of fraud is severe, with countless individuals finding their access to health care compromised. Once your medical information is leaked online, identity thieves can use it to file false claims, purchase expensive prescriptions, and more—all of which will be billed to your account.

And it’s not just individuals who are at risk. Manipulative organizations can use your medical information for fake billing schemes. These scams involve submitting false claims for medical services you never requested or received. They pocket the money and leave you with the bill. Just last month, 193 defendants, including 76 doctors, nurse practitioners, and other licensed medical professionals, were charged for their involvement in various health care fraud schemes totaling $2.75 billion in false billings to federal programs. Medical fraud is a real threat!

How Do You Know If You’re a Victim?

Here are 10 signs that your medical ID might have been stolen and is being misused by cybercriminals:

1. Unexpected Medical Bills: Receiving bills for medical services you never received is a major red flag.
2. Collection Notices: Being contacted by debt collectors for unpaid medical bills that aren’t yours.
3. Errors in Medical Records: Discovering inaccuracies in your medical records, such as treatments you never had, incorrect diagnoses, or unfamiliar medical histories.
4. Insurance Issues: Your health insurance claims are denied because your benefits are maxed out, or you’re told you’ve reached your coverage limit despite not using the services.
5. Notification from Your Insurance Provider: Receiving alerts from your health insurance provider about claims or services you don’t recognize.
6. Unknown Accounts: Finding new health insurance accounts or medical records under your name that you didn’t create.
7. Discrepancies in Your Explanation of Benefits (EOB): Your EOB statements list medical services you didn’t receive.
8. Being Denied Insurance: Difficulty obtaining life or health insurance due to medical conditions listed in your records that you don’t have.
9. Calls from Medical Providers: Receiving calls from doctors or medical facilities about appointments or follow-ups for treatments you never had.
10. Unfamiliar Prescriptions: Notices about prescriptions being filled in your name that you did not authorize or receive.

How Can You Prevent Becoming a Victim of Medical ID Fraud?

Don’t let yourself become the next victim of medical ID theft. Here are a few steps you can take to protect yourself:

1. Check for Health Care Breaches: Use a searchable database to find out if your health care information has been compromised.
2. Secure Your Records: Store paper copies of medical records in a safe or lockbox to prevent unauthorized access. If your health care provider’s system is compromised, you’ll be glad you did.
3. Shred Documents: Shred any documents with personal information before disposing of them.
4. Monitor Your Medical Records: Regularly request and review your medical records for unfamiliar treatments, diagnoses, or other discrepancies.
5. Review Insurance Bills: Carefully review EOB statements from your insurance provider for any services you didn’t receive. Report any unfamiliar charges to your insurer and to the credit bureaus at IdentityTheft.gov.
6. Dispose of Prescription Labels: Remove labels from empty prescription bottles before discarding them, as they may contain information that could be used to steal your identity.
7. Monitor Your Credit: Use AnnualCreditReport.com to get three free credit reports per year to keep an eye on any suspicious activity.

Health care will always be a critical service and, unfortunately, a prime target for hackers. Attacks on hospitals, doctors’ offices, and other medical facilities are likely to continue. It’s crucial to take proactive measures to protect yourself. We can help you assess your risk with our FREE Dark Web Scan. This technology quickly identifies if your information has been put up for sale on the dark web or if you’ve been a victim of a data breach. To book your Dark Web Scan, call us at 214-550-0550 or click here.