Eliminating SSNs in Medical Billing

Eliminating SSNs in Medical Billing

The Durbin amendment will make medical billing safer for senior citizens in the United States. The Durbin amendment makes it mandatory for the federal government to remove social security numbers from all Medicare documents and replace them with a different patient identifier. Since senior citizens are a large target of identity theft, this medical billing change is definitely one for the better.

Beginning in 2006, the federal government has gotten on the same page as many states of the nation. Identity theft is so prevalent in the United States and social security numbers make identity theft easy. This means that all senior citizens with Medicare cards flash their social security numbers to many people. Medical billing should benefit the patient, not harm them.

Many private insurance companies have already made the switch to non-Social Security Number identification numbers. However, up until recently, the United States government hadn’t taken the necessary precautions. The United States Senate loved the proposed amendment. It passed by a HUGE margin (98-0). Protecting identity is something in which all political parties agree.

To ensure your practice follows in the footsteps of the US Senate, be sure you are doing your best to protect your patients’ confidential information. Any personal information such as social security numbers and medical records should be kept behind lock and key. Be sure all of this medical billing information is also kept in a computer that is password sensitive.

Not only does your physical practice need to be safe, but your employees should be trustworthy as well. When doing medical billing, staff members have access to very sensitive information that could be damaging if left in the hands of the wrong person. Be sure your staff members are honest, and your medical billing department will be a successful one.

View all Articles by: Melissa Clark, CCS-P