[Med-privacy] SSNs & health insurance ID cards
pmarshall
pwm@comcast.net
Mon, 15 Mar 2004 15:53:02 -0800
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<p><font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana;"
face="Verdana " color="#000000">It’s estimated that 10 million
Americans fell victim to identity theft in the last year, alone. One of
the best ways to protect yourself from identity theft is to keep your
social security number (SSN) secret.</font></p>
<p><a title="Keep your social security number safe"
href="http://cu.convio.net/site/R?i=2vQg8WbWtZbKhW1dxZNjuQ.."><strong><u><font
style="font-family: Verdana;" face="Verdana ">Click here to send a
free email to health insurance companies asking them to remove Social
Security numbers from health insurance ID cards.</font></u></strong></a></p>
<p><font style="font-family: Verdana;" face="Verdana ">Some
health insurance companies routinely print these sensitive numbers on
health insurance cards and statements, unnecessarily raising the risk
of ID theft. But others have removed Social Security numbers from all
identity cards and mailings. Kaiser Foundation Health Plans, the
largest health insurance carrier in the United States, has issued unique
IDs for each customer and sent new cards with the new number to all
enrollees.</font></p>
<p><font style="font-family: Verdana;" face="Verdana ">Consumer
and privacy advocates warn consumers to guard their social security
numbers carefully. The State of California has called Social Security
Numbers (SSN) "the key to identity theft." SSNs can provide a thief
with access to your credit. Unfortunately, SSNs are far too available.
They are in our wallets and in our mail boxes. </font></p>
<p><font style="font-family: Verdana;" face="Verdana ">You can
help end identity theft by urging health insurance companies to remove
SSNs from potentially public documents, like ID cards and mail. In our
recent online survey, you told us that your health insurance card is
the most likely item in your wallet to have your SSN printed on it. 75%
of responders said that their health insurance card had their SSN
number printed on it.</font></p>
<p><font style="font-family: Verdana;" face="Verdana ">Your email
makes a difference. Act now to help consumers protect their financial
privacy.<br>
</font></p>
<p><font style="font-family: Verdana;" face="Verdana "><br>
</font><font style="font-family: Verdana;" face="Verdana ">Rob
Schneider<br>
FinancialPrivacyNow.org<br>
Consumers Union<br>
1300 Guadalupe<br>
Austin, TX 78703</font></p>
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