What to Do When Thieves Snatch Your Medical Identity

Been breached? If you know—or even suspect—that your medical identity has been stolen, take these steps now.

• Get a copy of your medical records from healthcare providers and review them to make sure they're consistent with treatment you've received.

• Ask your insurer for copies of all "Explanation of Benefits" statements for the past year. (You may be able to get them online.) Review these for accuracy, too.

• Get a free copy of your credit report from one of the three credit bureaus. (Through AnnualCreditReport.com, you can obtain a free report once a year from each of the three companies.) Sometimes collection notices for unpaid bills alert victims to theft.

• File a police report if you're a victim. It may encourage providers and your insurer to correct your records promptly.

For a more detailed description of actions you can take, the World Privacy Forum offers these tips.