The state Department of Consumer Protection is urging Anthem policy holders in Connecticut to keep an eye on medical statements in the wake of the massive data breach.
“While more information about the scope and depth of the data loss will become available in time, it’s important that consumers understand what they need to look for,” Consumer Protection Commissioner Jonathan A. Harris said in a statement. “The breach of medical and health insurance information requires Anthem customers to watch not only their financial accounts, but health care statements as well.”
As the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters reported in May, medical records can be worth pure cash in the hands of hackers. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, one third of medical identity fraud victims had to pay for a procedure they never had. The average cost for this group of people was $18,000.
State officials said a thief might use your name or health insurance numbers to see a doctor, get prescription drugs, file claims with your insurance provider or get other care. If a thief’s health information is mixed with yours, your own medical treatment, insurance and payment records, and credit report could be affected.
Start checking not only your credit reports and financial statements carefully, but also medical and insurance statements, including the Explanation of Benefits statements, for signs of misuse.
If you see a mistake, contact your Anthem immediately and report the problem. You also may want to follow these steps from the Federal Trade Commission.
Other warning signs include a bill for medical services you didn’t receive or a call from a debt collector about a medical debt you don’t owe, medical collection notices on your credit report that you don’t recognize, a notice from your health plan saying you reached your benefit limit and a denial of insurance because your medical records show a condition you don’t have.
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They also urge deleting email or text messages that ask you to confirm or provide personal information because legitimate companies do not ask for sensitive personal data via email or text.
For more information from the Department of Consumer Protection, visit www.ct.gov/AnthemAdvice. Suspicious activity should be reported to the Office of the Attorney General's Privacy Task Force by emailing attorney.general@ct.gov or calling 860-808-5318. Anthem has a designated website for consumers with immediate questions about the breach at: http://www.anthemfacts.com/.
