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Mar. 3rd, 2010 10:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
semperfionaThis morning on NPR, I heard a segment on medical identity theft. It's apparently a rapidly increasing problem. People without insurance are stealing other people's names, SSNs, insurance cards, whatever, in order to obtain treatment at a hospital.
The reporter talked about how it's a problem for hospitals, who probably will not get paid for treatment obtained fraudulently, and for insurance companies who might pay out in error, but particularly for individuals: insurance rates will go up, and their medical charts may get updated with dangerously incorrect information.
But I never heard anyone mention that this is simply NOT A PROBLEM in countries with national healthcare. Not satisfied with having the most expensive healthcare in the world with second- or third-class outcomes, we have to invent an entirely unique crime and force people into committing it!
The reporter talked about how it's a problem for hospitals, who probably will not get paid for treatment obtained fraudulently, and for insurance companies who might pay out in error, but particularly for individuals: insurance rates will go up, and their medical charts may get updated with dangerously incorrect information.
But I never heard anyone mention that this is simply NOT A PROBLEM in countries with national healthcare. Not satisfied with having the most expensive healthcare in the world with second- or third-class outcomes, we have to invent an entirely unique crime and force people into committing it!
