MDNews - Greater Boston

THE NUMBER OF MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS IN THE UNITED STATES IS STAGGERING, ACCORDING TO RECENT RESEARCH BY THE PONEMON INSTITUTE. THIS TREND HAS TROUBLING IMPLICATIONS FOR BOTH PATIENTS AND PRACTITIONERS. The IMPOSTORS By Colin Stayton Breaking Trust Approximately 56 percent of victims report losing trust and confi dence in their healthcare provider as a result of medical ID theft, regardless of who is responsible. Only 5 percent of the thefts are perpetrated by a medical offi ce employee, while 7 percent result from data breaches at healthcare organizations, insurance companies and related entities. More common causes include patients' inappropriate sharing of medical ID and family members' unauthorized appropriation of ID or credentials. Medical ID theft also causes inaccuracies in patients' records. In 2013, inaccuracies due to medical fraud led to: + 15 percent of victims being misdiagnosed + 14 percent experiencing delays in treatment + 13 percent being incorrectly treated for an illness + 11 percent receiving wrong prescriptions Weighing the Cost Reimbursements victims paid to healthcare providers to cover services furnished to impostors: Sources: 2013 Survey on Medical Identity Theft, Ponemon Institute; Government Technology; World Privacy Forum S T R EE T C R ED A STOLEN SOCIAL SECURIT Y number has an estimated street value of $1; a stolen medical identity's street value averages $50. + 60%: $0 + 11%: $1 –$1,000 + 14%: $1,001–$5,000 + 6%: $5,001–$10,000 + 5%: $10,001–$25,000 + 4%: > $25,000 AT A GLANCE + 1.84 million — Americans victimized by medical ID theft + 19 percent — Uptick in medical ID theft from 2012 to 2013 + $12.3 billion — Out-of-pocket cost for victims in 2013 CORE ++++++++++++++++++ +++ + +++ + ++++++++++++++++++ DATA VAULT M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Greater Boston | 9

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