QuestionI gave a 3rd party insurance company my social security number. Why are they going to use it for? Can they use it if I didn't authorize them to? I only authorize them to use it for medical records.
AnswerHi Tasha,
There is NO REASON whatsoever for an insurer to obtain your SSN in order to get medical records, but they started asking for it a few years ago. Most people do give it, but we advise our members at insurance claims settlementcentral.com legal help to withhold the SSN because some insurers have reportedly used it to do all kinds of research on the claimant.
There is the obvious start with C.L.U.E.—which is a repository of insurance claim information on all people. But they also use it online for all kinds of information. If your claim has any real value, then expect them to go and get EVERYTHING from your life via purchases from data warehouses. They will not do that for most claims, yet—but only because of the cost of buying the total history. By that I mean they know what groceries and purchases you make and if you went to a hotel or a place like Las Vegas, they know your habits at the table and what drinks you order. It is all tied down these days, isn’t it?
What should you do? I think you should send a certified letter telling them that their use of the SSN is for the sole purpose of what they asked it for, to-wit, solely obtaining medical records.
That is about all you can do now, Tasha.
I trust that my time here has produced some information that has been of value to you, and thus I would respectfully request that you take the time to locate the FEEDBACK FORM on this site and leave some feedback for me.
Best Wishes,
Dr. Settlement, J.D. (Juris Doctor)
http://www.SettlementCentral.Com
