Stealing From the Dead – Medical Identity Theft
When you walk in a doctor’s office, one of the first things you get to do is sign a form explaining your right to privacy. Yet, in a case on Capitol Hill, a judge ordered medical records to be opened and made public in the case of a woman who used the information of a dead person to receive treatment.
Was the Judge Right to Expose Medical Records?
The records revealed not only the woman’s crime of identity theft, but exposed her as an illegal immigrant, causing her to be targeted for deportation. In a country where big brother has their hands in more and more personal information, where do we draw the line?
The raging battle over illegal immigrants and the US healthcare system continues. Many believe that if healthcare is to be made available to illegal aliens it should be mandated for all US citizens. Others cry foul any time a restriction is suggested, citing children who would go untreated because their parents are illegal aliens or communicable diseases that could spread unchecked through lack of treatment.
Surprisingly, in this case the identity theft was swept under the rug as nearly irrelevant, since the Social Security number in question belonged to an individual who was deceased. The parties involved focused more on the possible deportation of the offender and validity of her right to receive medical care.
Who Deserves Protection?
In a country where over two thirds of the population does not receive adequate care, where social security numbers are ripped off on a daily basis to provide identities for illegal aliens and where the main concern seems to be focused on the wellbeing of criminals, this may seem like a petty thing.
How different would it be if the person whose identity was stolen had been living? Would there be more outrage against the increasing group of people who feel that they are somehow entitled to benefit’s the average American does not qualify for?
In addition, those living persons who have become victims of medical identity theft now have possible erroneous information in their medical records that could lead to misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment or improper prescription of medication. Imagine not only having to straighten out your credit score, but you medical records as well! The implications are obvious.
Is it a Crime to Impersonate a Dead Person?
Yes, it is. The solution seems simple. Crack down on ID thieves no matter who they are and where they come from. You can get arrested for holding up a convenience store with a rubber gun; ID theft should apply whether you are ripping off a child or adult, a living or dead person. It’s the principle of the thing.
If you have a recently deceased loved one, consider tracking their info for several years after their passing. Criminals love to steal identities from the newly deceased because of the slowness with which these facts filter into the system, so be on the lookout.
