Health Data is Wealth

 

The cybershield 365/24/7

What happens if your health data is stolen?

It could put you in massive medical debt — or keep you from getting the care you need. Hackers can resell your data to fraudsters, who then pose as you to get free medical care on your dime.

That means you could get caught holding the bill for everything from prescriptions to medical procedures. You also could get denied insurance coverage because your medical records show a preexisting condition you don’t have (but the person pretending to be you does).

And if you don’t catch phony medical charges in time, it could massively impact your credit
.

Health (data) is wealth

I’ve got your eight-step health data checkup here:

1. Use this searchable database to see if your health care info has been compromised. (And keep an eye on this newsletter — I always let you know about major breaches!)
2. Use a lockbox for medical records and documents with personal identification info. Bonus: This one’s 44% off right now ($13.99).
3. Call your health insurance provider right away if you lose your ID card.
4. Use a strong, unique password if you log into an online portal to view your medical records. Use 2FA, too, if it’s available.
5. Remove prescription labels from empty bottles before you toss them. These labels have information thieves can use.
6. Monitor your credit. You can get three free credit reports a year at AnnualCreditReport.com.
7. Report phony medical bills. If you get bills for medical services you didn't receive, contact your insurance provider ASAP. After, report your billing errors to the credit bureaus at IdentityTheft.gov.
8. Use a wallet tracker. If you carry health insurance cards in your wallet, put a tracker in there so you always know where your wallet is. Team Android, get this wallet tracker. Team Apple, you’ll need an AirTag and a holder for your wallet.

Pro tip: Make sure any health apps you use are HIPAA-compliant (a lot of them aren’t). To check, try visiting their website’s terms and conditions page and doing a quick search (Ctrl + F on Windows or Cmd + F on Mac) for “HIPAA.”

Criminals hope you won't catch on until it's too late. Don't be a victim. Share this story with the people you care about using the icons below.