Medical identity theft and the statements that show it

Medical identity theft is when someone uses your name, Social Security number, or health insurance or Medicare number to get care, prescriptions, devices or insurance claims. When a thief's health information mixes with yours, it can affect your care and your benefits, and it can hurt your credit.

The signs

• A bill or statement for care you didn't get. A bill, or an Explanation of Benefits, lists a service or prescription you never received.
• A collector calling about medical debt. The debt is one you don't owe.
• Medical debt on your credit report. A collection you don't recognize shows up.
• A benefit limit you didn't reach. Your insurer says you've hit the limit on your benefits.

How to check

Read every Explanation of Benefits. Each one lists the provider, the date of the visit, the services, the cost, what the insurance paid and what you owe. Compare it with the care you actually had.

Check your credit reports for medical debts you don't recognize. Reports are free at AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228.

Keeping your details safe

• Papers. Keep insurance cards, prescriptions, bills and benefit statements somewhere safe, and shred them before you throw them out. On a prescription bottle that's hard to shred, mark out your personal and medical details.
• Mail. Pick it up promptly, or switch to online bills and statements.
• Questions before you share. Before you give out an insurance or Medicare number or health details, ask why it's needed, how it will be protected and who it will be shared with. Ask whether a doctor's office can use a different identifier, or only the last four digits of your Social Security number.
• Unexpected calls and messages. Don't share medical information with anyone who contacts you out of the blue by phone, email or text. Log in to the account on a site you know is real, or call a number you know is right.

An annotated example

What to do next

If a statement shows care you didn't get, ask each provider and insurer involved for a copy of your records, and read them for visits and treatments that aren't yours. Then make a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.