I’ve written about this subject a number of times but the violations have become so pervasive that I feel that I must tackle it once again. To be sure there are insidious forces at work that are intended to do us harm. One of the most important things that you own is your identity. If you agree with that statement, then why do you always put it up for grabs? The surest way to become a victim of ID theft is to let someone have your photo together with your signature. Think about it.
How many of you have gone to a doctor and were told by the clerk in the reception room that they need proof of insurance AND proof of your identity, preferably in the form of a drivers license, and that they need a copy for their records? Proof of insurance? Okay. A copy of your drivers license? Big mistake. They tell you that it is required for either Medicare, Medicaid or your insurance carrier. Bullshit with a capital B. The government as well as the insurance carriers DO NOT require any kind of photo ID, period, end of story.
And if you do provide them with your photo ID, they do not ever send it off to the government or the insurance carrier. The only time the photo ID might be required is in the case of major fraud by the doctor or his associates and if that is the case it is in the best interests of the doctor to not have your photo ID on hand.
So why are they insisting that it is required? It is not required and they certainly don’t NEED it. They WANT it which is not the same as needing it and it is certainly never required.
They want it because of the possibility that you might try to skip out on your bill. In other words they want some kind of insurance should you become a dead beat. Plain and simple.
The other day some genius office clerk in a doctors office said that I do not need to worry about anyone taking off with my signature or photo ID because that’s why they have HIPPA. Duh. HIPPA is supposed to offer some protection against those unscrupulous employees that want to illegally share your medical information.
You may say to yourself, “big deal”, and give it up. After all, the data is kept in a doctor’s office and what could be safer. Right? Wrong. Just because your doctor has your data does not mean that it is safe from prying eyes. How many times have you heard about someone breaking into someones medical files. The medical profession does not have an exclusive on righteous employees. It happens all the time.
We’ve been bullied by the medical profession for so long that we’ve become insensitive to whenever they ask us to do something and as a result we go along with whatever they ask us to do. If enough people said NO and that you tell them that you have met all of the requirements of Medicare, Medicaid and or your insurance carrier and that there is no legal reason for you to have to provide them with your photo ID, they may just stop bullying you. Know your rights.