North Texas Dentistry Volume 4 Issue 5 | Page 14

money matters Dental Awareness of Medical Identity Theft by Elizabeth Dahlgren Medical identity theft is now the fastest-growing type of identity theft in the world and Texas has become the fourth highest complaint state1. American Medical News found that an estimated two million people become victims of identity theft each year and more than 5,300 healthcare providers have listed themselves in a federal database that tracks medical identity theft3. As if the loss of a dentist’s name isn’t enough, he/she is then faced with law suits, the risk of losing credibility, his/her job and thousands of dollars. There are two kinds of medical ID theft; one is when the healthcare provider has his/her National Provider Identifier (NPI), Tax ID Number (TIN), or medical licensure information stolen, the other is if the patient’s identity or insurance information is stolen. Both are serious threats to a dentist and his or her practice. “The biggest key to detection is education,” said Shantanu Agrawal, MD for the Center for Program Integrity at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services3. If dentists know how to realize they have had their identity stolen and how to begin reclaiming their identity, they will be able to avoid and solve this crisis. Medical identity theft occurs when someone steals information such as a name, social security number or Medicare number in order to obtain medical care, prescriptions or to submit fake billing in someone else’s name. n n Signs Your Practice is the Target of Medical ID Theft Phone calls from patients you never treated. Medicare remittance notices for services never performed. Credit reports, mailings or phone calls referencing corporation fillings or businesses under a different name from the practice but associated with your name. Healthcare providers need to be aware that an employee is often the source of the information leak. They have access to the practices databases and the ability to hide any of the warning signs3. Damages affecting medical ID theft victims are painful and long-lasting. The following are the most common and prominent for dentists2: RUINED CREDIT INACCURATE RECORDS LEGAL TROUBLES FINANCIAL LIABILITIES Pay attention to these preventative methods in order to help your practice avoid becoming a victim of medical identity theft: Perform routine checks of Medicare’s Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System lists to make certain both yourself and the practice do not have any mysterious associations. n Keep Medicare and Medicaid up to date with office openings and closings to confirm that they are aware of all locations and can identify when a “new” office is false5. n Consistently review your billing for records of providing treatments or services you did not provide. n n Do not share your NPI, TIN or any other medical licensure with anyone and keep them secure. n n 14 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com Keep prescription pads in a secure place. Train your staff.