Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Randall Jeppesen ReportingTrying to clear your records after medical identity theft is no easy task. In part two of our Medical Id Theft in Utah Series, Randall Jeppesen shows us the struggle one victim is going through, and what steps some hospitals are taking to keep it from happening in the first place.
Dorothy Moran's alleged plan to use someone else's identity when giving birth landed her in jail.
"One time I was in the same court room with her, ya know it's uncomfortable."
The victim, Anndroie Sachs, a mother of four says, she's now focused on clearing her medical record.
University of Utah hospital spokesman Christopher Nelson says that's not easy.
"It can be fixed. Patients need to be very proactive, very diligent."
You have to contact each medical facility where fraud might have occurred and ask to see your records. Sachs is dealing with two hospitals, Social Security forms, Medicaid applications, and a legal document that still says she's the babies' mother.
"Getting my name off the birth certificate, it's been a month and I haven't even taken the DNA test yet. Then it'll be six weeks after that and I've already gotten ten-thousand dollars in medical bills."
Sachs asked the hospital to see her medical records but was told "No".
Sachs: "They said I didn't have any right to them because they weren't biologically my records and stuff."
KSL Reporter Randall Jeppesen: "Even though it's in your name?"
Sachs: "Yeah, How do I know that they are cleared up when I can't really see em?"
Assistant Attorney General Richard Hamp says trying to clear records in fraud cases can take years. And Sachs isn't alone. There's another Utah case that's almost identical, both happened at the University of Utah hospital.
"Once again it was a mother delivering a child, using someone else's ID to avoid payment of the bills," says Hamp.
That victim lives in California. The Utah birth mother was convicted and was supposed to pay restitution, but has disappeared.
The U of U hospital is looking at buying a database that checks Social Security numbers and IDs.
"We're making sure that in cases where we can, you know, we're confirming identity as best we can", says Nelson.
Sachs agrees hospitals should focus on medical care, but says it shouldn't end there.
"Treat them first and then find out who they are later. But, find out who they are later. I mean don't just send them home. Oh, we treated them and that means we've done our job!"
Some victims find out about medical ID theft from debt collectors, others by carefully reading insurance statements. It's something to absolutely watch out for, because a fake medical record can be deadly.
