24 November 2009
The recession has contributed to a rise in medical identity theft, and the problem is expected to worsen as more health records are stored online, reports the Wall Street Journal. “Medical identity theft is the fastest-growing form of identity theft,” says Jim Quiggle of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud. Most of the fraud occurs at the hands of healthcare workers who are paid to sell patients’ information, the report states. Incidents of medical identity fraud are highest in states with large retiree populations. Experts advise consumers to monitor their medical and credit records, keep insurance cards private and avoid providing personal information over the phone.
Source: Wall Street Jounal – New York, New York