How Safe Is Your Health Care Information?

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We’ve all heard stories of credit card theft and take extra steps to make sure our bank information is secure. Financial institutions have some of the highest security of anyone, and that’s why many of us are willing to do online banking.

Have you ever thought about security for your health care information? In 2015, health record data breaches affected 1 in 3 Americans. Learn why people want to steal this information and how you can protect yourself from medical identity theft.
The Appeal of Medical Identity Theft
Why would someone want to steal medical information? They can use your information to create new medical identities. With these new identities, people can steal medical services, prescription drugs, and government services.

The danger is your identity might get mixed up with the thief’s identity. If information gets mixed, your medical records may contain diagnoses you don’t have and treatments you don’t need.
Why Is Medical Data an Easy Target?
Financial fraud is much easier to catch than medical identity theft. Systems are in place to prevent financial misconduct. Any time you login to your account from a new location, the bank checks that it’s really you accessing the account.

Additionally, most people check their financial records (bank and credit card statements) regularly. You alert the bank of any unusual charges. If necessary, you get a new card, a new PIN, or a new login, thereby eliminating the threat.

We don’t take nearly as many precautions with our health care information. When was the last time you read your explanation of benefits letter? Do you read and understand each line item on your bills?
All in the Family
An unfortunate truth of medical data theft is it’s often perpetrated by someone you know. There are two reasons for this ‘friendly fraud.’

1) There’s less stigma around stealing someone’s medical data. A friend or family member who would never dream of taking money from your wallet may not consider borrowing your prescription information to be stealing.
2) You’re more likely to leave medical information lying around. When it comes to protecting medical information, you may leave prescriptions and policy information out where anyone can see it.
How do I Keep My Health Care Information Safe?
Keep medical information as private as your banking information. Don’t leave prescriptions, bills, and policy information out in plain view. When you’re asked to give out medical information, make sure it’s absolutely necessary. Resist the temptation to use online forms unless you know they’re secure.

Be careful with social media! Remember, you can’t completely control who sees your Facebook profile – even if you have high-security settings. Treat medical information the same way you’d treat financial information on social media.

Carefully read your EOBs (explanation of benefits). Call providers if your bill includes services you don’t recognize.

Treat your health care information the same way you treat your bank information. Watch it closely and don’t make it easy for people to access it.

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