Health & Wellness

Hold on tight to your insurance card! Medical identity theft is a growing problem in the United States - and experts estimate that about 500,000 people have been victimized by medical identity theft.

Having your medical identity assumed by someone else can also cost you time, aggravation and credit problems. It can even affect your health since someone else's medical information is now a part of your record.

So what exactly is medical identity theft, and how can you make sure it doesn't happen to you? Find the answers here.

The little-known crime with big implications
In short, medical identity fraud happens when someone uses your name or personal information without your knowledge to get medical care or supplies, prescriptions, fraudulent insurance payouts…even major surgery.

It's similar to the crime of credit card theft, but the consequences can be even broader. First, because these thieves often have the insurer bills diverted to another address, you may not even realize you're sitting on unpaid bills until you start getting collection calls, or it appears on your credit report. And those incorrect entries can prevent you from getting insurance, disqualify you for some jobs…even affect your health.

Imagine these scenarios:

• The pharmacy refuses to fill a prescription for you because it is harmful if taken with a drug "you" are already taking.
• You're denied coverage for claims because your insurer shows that "you" have reached your lifetime maximum.

As you can see, a periodic review of your credit and medical history certainly helps to safeguard your identity.

Tips for protecting your medical identity
Here are some tips for safeguarding your medical identity:

• Treat your insurance card like a credit card with a sky-high spending limit. Your ID card could be used to get medical services or drugs that remain on your medical record permanently. So if it's missing, lost or stolen, notify Aetna Member Services immediately.
• Don't give your insurance ID number or Social Security number to telephone marketers, door-to-door solicitors, or senders of unsolicited e-mail. Be careful even if the person (calling or writing) claims to be from Aetna. Although Aetna avoids requesting your Social Security number, there are times when it is needed to complete a transaction that you have initiated. For example, if you submitted a form that requested your Social Security number but you didn’t provide it or it is not readable, we might call you to ask for it. Or, if you left a voice mail for someone at Aetna that did not include enough information to identify you, we might ask for additional information when returning your call. If you are not comfortable providing your Social Security number in response to a call from someone who says they are calling from Aetna – DO NOT! Instead, contact the Member Services number on your member ID card and ask to have your call directed to the Aetna department that was requesting the information. That way you can be sure you are giving the information directly to Aetna.
• If you visit a free clinic, make sure it's free. Don't show your medical ID card for any reason.
• Don't just throw away the mail, shred it or at least rip it up. And not just health care or insurance information: junk mail should be shredded and/or ripped up, too.
• Restrict access to your ID. If someone asks for your license, medical card or Social Security number, make sure they have a legitimate reason for asking.
• Carefully review your mailed Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements or online insurance claims - even if marked “This is not a bill.” Specifically, watch out for incorrect group or identity numbers, provider offices or hospitals you don't recognize, visits on dates you did not receive care, or prescriptions you did not fill. If you see claims for care or medications you did not receive, call Aetna Member Services and ask them to investigate the claim.
• Check your credit report regularly. No, that's not a misprint. Identity thieves could be racking up medical bills in your name and having the bills mailed to a false address. You could be on a collection agency's delinquent list - without even knowing it.