Ann Zeigler reports:
The FTC plans to issue a new consumer protection rule that will take on the issue of medical identity theft, a growing concern now that identity thieves have recognized that medical records are rich sources of financial information that can be used to obtain credit with someone else’s history. Alternate forms of medical identity theft, in which patients impersonate someone for the purpose of transferring their bill to that person, are also on the rise.
The FTC’s Red Flag and Address Discrepancy Rule is written to address a wide range of financial institutions a creditors–including healthcare organizations–and requires such organizations to address identity theft risks and develop a mitigation plan.
Read more in Fierce Health Finance