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Medical Identity TheftMEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT HOW TO CLEAR YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS Medical identity theft is frightening. Having an impostor's medical information associated with your medical records could cause problems for you in the future. This fact sheet explains the steps you must take to clear an impostor's information from your medical records. Clearing a medical record must be done in several stages. Take the following steps in the order listed. 1. If you have not already done so, report your medical identity theft to your local police or sheriff's office, and obtain a copy of your police report.
2. If you regularly see a doctor or other health care provider, contact her or him and request a copy of your medical record. This medical record should accurately reflect your health and any medical problems that you have had in the past. Alert your doctor to the identity theft and ask for assistance in clearing impostor information from your medical record. If your doctor does not know how to correct information in a medical record, ask him or her to write a letter on your behalf stating that you are a victim of medical identity theft, listing any medical conditions that you have that might conflict with the impostor's information such as your blood type or a chronic condition like diabetes, and asking that your medical records be corrected. If you do not regularly see a doctor or other health care provider, do not be alarmed. Whether or not you have a doctor assisting you, continue to follow the instructions below.
3. Write the health care providers that gave care to the impostor. Request a copy of two things: their privacy policy and a copy of your medical records. Keep your letter short. You may be asked to pay a reasonable fee for copying the records. If the cost is too high, ask to view the records in person at the office where the records are kept.
4. Review the records. Mark everything that is not accurate. If you are viewing the records in person, ask for a copy of only the pages that contain errors.
5. Read the privacy policy of each health care provider where the impostor received care. The privacy policy should tell you the steps to take to correct information in a medical record. Follow the instructions in the privacy policy. If the privacy policy does not tell you how to correct your medical record, continue to take the steps outlined below.
7. If a health care provider is unwilling to delete items from your medical record, write another letter politely reminding the provider that it is required to correct the record unless the record is accurate and complete. Request that the record be amended and that a "red flag" be placed in the record to alert future health care providers to the amendment. Ask for a copy of your amended medical record. Ask that a copy of the corrected records be forwarded to any party with whom it shared your original medical record.
8. If the health care provider denies your request to amend your file, ask to put a statement of disagreement in your file. Write a short letter to the health care provider pointing out all of the things in your file that are not accurate. The health care provider must include your statement of disagreement in your medical file. Ask for a letter confirming that your statement of disagreement has been placed in your record. Ask that a copy of your statement of disagreement be forwarded to any party with whom it shared your original medical record.
9. If an impostor used your insurance to get medical treatment, notify your insurance carrier in writing. Ask your insurance company to correct their records and to restore your benefit limit. Attach a copy of your police report and your drivers license or ID. Ask for written confirmation that the company's records have been corrected and that your benefit limits have been restored.
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