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Post by SweetieBugs on Aug 27, 2017 20:57:58 GMT
I'm filling out a new patient form for a referral to a cardiologist to follow up on something and just a few lines in to a 6 page new patient packet, it asks for my social security # and my drivers license #. Why would I need to give those? I'm hesitant to fill those in.
They will get a photocopy of my health insurance card so they don't need my SS number for insurance purposes. Plus, virtually all places stopped using your SS # as a form of an ID # several years back because of the potential for identity theft (our bank account # used to be my DH's SS# but they changed that at least 5 years ago).
Should I fill those in or not?
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Post by cadoodlebug on Aug 27, 2017 21:05:23 GMT
Medicare numbers are our social security numbers. They are going to change it soon ~ leave it to the federal government to warn us about identity theft and still use our SS# on our cards!! I just started with a new dentist and, yes, they needed my social to access my information in their system. I gave it grudgingly.
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Post by cmpeter on Aug 27, 2017 21:05:50 GMT
I leave those blank and have never received a follow up request for the info.
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Post by chaosisapony on Aug 27, 2017 21:14:06 GMT
You can leave those spots blank and if they need the info they'll ask you for it.
Where I work there are 2 larger insurance companies that issued ID numbers to patients and those ID numbers are pretty useless to us. They don't work and we can get no info with them. There is another company that you can only pull up info using the social. And that doesn't even touch on Medicare. So yes, there's a reason we ask for your social on the new patient paperwork and it isn't because we are identity thieves.
The driver's license # request, at least in our office, is because it's needed when we send people to collections for non payment.
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Post by annabella on Aug 27, 2017 21:52:00 GMT
They use your SS to find you with your insurance if you don't have a card. Your drivers license number to easily send you to collections if you don't pay. I never give either.
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azredhead
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,755 
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Post by azredhead on Aug 27, 2017 22:12:27 GMT
I don't have drivers liscence but an ID but I never give them that unless I don't have my card most of the time I leave it blank. The only place I've really been asked for my social is the ER.
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peabay
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,605
Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on Aug 27, 2017 22:19:15 GMT
I never give them my ss number.
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Post by Sharon on Aug 27, 2017 22:31:49 GMT
I leave those blank and have never received a follow up request for the info. I have always received a second request when I refused to give my number. They said they couldn't see me without it....something to do with the insurance and making sure I was the right person. They always require my drivers license too. I think part of it is trying to prevent insurance fraud. My insurance card doesn't ensure I'm the right person. Any woman could hand them my insurance card. |
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Post by littlemama on Aug 27, 2017 22:37:07 GMT
I usually have to give my drivers license and insurance card at the doctors office. I assume that the DL is to make sure someone off the street didn't find my insurance card and try to get care using it.
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Post by supersoda on Aug 27, 2017 22:44:22 GMT
Never. I've only been called on it once, and after persistent firm refusal it was no longer an issue.
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Post by Delta Dawn on Aug 27, 2017 22:45:26 GMT
Never in a million years.
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Post by mikklynn on Aug 27, 2017 23:01:50 GMT
No. I do show my card and photo ID every time I go.
The most I would agree to is the last 4 digits.
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Post by baslp on Aug 28, 2017 0:54:34 GMT
No. I have also told my adult children not to do this too. They seem to think all the lines on a form need to be filled in.
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Post by Really Red on Aug 28, 2017 1:18:54 GMT
Yes. I fought back, but they won't treat me without it. I find it frustrating. No one is super careful with that stuff!
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Post by danor98 on Aug 28, 2017 1:33:09 GMT
I work at a branded "urgent care/family care" clinic. American Family Care (AFC). Our registration forms have a spot for SS#. Most patients just fill it all in without a second thought. It amazes and frightens me. If anyone asks if they need to fill it in, I reply, "absolutely not!". It is not need at our facilities. It has bothered me for a long time that medicare uses SS#'s. As cadoodlebug said, they will soon be issuing new medicare cards using a different #. While I am glad of that, I can only imagine what holy hell that is going to cause for anyone that registers/verifies patients in any medical setting.  |
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luckyexwife
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,067
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Post by luckyexwife on Aug 28, 2017 2:34:56 GMT
I leave those blank and have never received a follow up request for the info. This has been my experience as well. |
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Post by laureljean on Aug 28, 2017 2:38:23 GMT
Just an extra way to identify you so they don't mix you up with another patient during registration. It is amazing how many people have the same first and last names and the confusion it causes.
You don't have to give that info to them if you don't want to.
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Post by scrapmaven on Aug 28, 2017 2:54:48 GMT
It's also a way to find you if you don't pay your bill. Doctors do send unpaid patient accounts to collections agencies. I never give out that info and it's never been a problem.
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Post by Zee on Aug 28, 2017 2:54:55 GMT
You don't have to give your SS#, but they can refuse to see you without it if that is their policy. There is nothing legally that says any office has to treat you without it. Most offices that I've been to do not require it and if there is space for it, I leave it blank. I've seen a lot of doctors in the past year and it's not been an issue.
More and more offices are requiring a scan of your DL for your chart, to help combat insurance fraud by showing proof you are who you say you are. That is also up to the office but may change some day if insurance companies begin requiring it in order to be in compliance. Every office I've been to in the past year except one has required my DL so they could scan it into the electronic record.
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