Medical Identity Theft

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Imagine your personal medical information has been compromised by a security breach. Then imagine finding out that your personal information has been used by someone to obtain medical treatments and even prescription drugs. The gravity of this breach becomes even more serious when you receive an invoice for the treatment, or worse, find out medical information in your personal file has been changed.

Medical identity theft is the fastest-growing form of ID theft in America today and has become a growing global problem, with The World Privacy Forum estimating the number of victims to be between 250,000 to 500,000 people each year.

According to a Harris poll, the numbers are even higher than what the World Privacy Forum estimates, with approximately 4 percent of American adults, or nine million people, believing that they or a member of their family have had confidential medical information lost or stolen.

Medical identity theft can expose a person’s personal information, which can then be used by fraudsters to get medical treatments, benefits, prescription drugs and generally defraud the medical system. The victims of identity theft may ultimately receive incorrect medical treatment if their records have been altered. In a medical emergency, these fraudulent changes could lead to incorrect diagnoses and even death.

Cases of Medical Identity Theft are Growing

In the U.S., where the for-profit healthcare system creates incentives for hospitals and insurance companies to root out identity theft, an estimated 15 percent of claims are considered fraudulent.

From the standpoint of medical institutions, the consequences of medical identity theft may be significant. Healthcare providers may be assessed of heavy fines, legal expenses, bad publicity and reputation loss. According to Forrester Research Inc., in 2006 companies that experienced security breaches lost between one and $22 million, and with the Ponemon Institute's 2009 Cost of Data Breach Study placing the average cost of a breach across a range of organizations as high as $202 per record or $6.6million per breach, a patient data breach is potentially a debilitating event for any healthcare facility regardless of size.”
The Mechanics of the Breach

The moment a hospital admits a new patient, a medical record is initiated. Moving through different phases of the medical process, the record accumulates a multitude of details – from the patient’s lifestyle to symptoms, test results, diagnoses, treatment plans, procedures, insurance and personal information. These files, often kept in paper-based form, may continue beyond the original medical institution, making their way to other hospitals and clinics, family practice offices, insurance companies and health-related organizations.

In a hospital, many people may have access to patients’ confidential information. While most employees would never use this information for fraudulent purposes, some may, by exploiting it themselves or leaking it to thieves.

Security breaches may also result from the intentional or unintentional negligence of healthcare employees. While stories about medical files being dumped into recycling dumpsters or garbage containers – and even posted on the Internet – may sound anecdotal, such incidents do happen. These kinds of security breaches are becoming more common worldwide:

* Confidential documents left in unsecure recycling boxes or garbage bins.
* Lack of training for staff on what patient information should be protected and securely destroyed.
* Unsupervised medical files in file rooms or on desks.
* Lack of focus on document destruction due to budgetary concerns.
* Unsupervised or inadequate in-house document destruction facilities.

Furthermore, medical records also must be stored for a period of time, increasing the chances for a breach. Regular paper records are often kept for 10 years, and if it is a teaching hospital, or concerns a pediatric patient, hospitals may keep the records for 15 years or longer.

If you are scared enough to safeguard your identity follow my link.
http://www.ligal-ease.com 

Free to be the "Guy on the Street"

What does it mean to be "The guy on the Street" and who is qualified to have that distinction? I can tell you now that I do since I have lived the lifestyle and today I get to walk among the homeless every day. Wherever I go I am recognized on the street. It's kind of like the guy on "Cheers." We all want to go where everybody knows our name :-)

I know the most powerful human desire is to be appreciated and loved.I also know that the most stressful thing that can happen to a human being is to not have anywhere to go nowhere that they have to be. They have to be up in the morning wondering what am I going to have to do today to survive. I just need to find out how I'm going to eat today and then I need to make sure that nobody finds me when I get to my camp. I need to be well hidden because there is no telling what kind of dangers are lurking in the darkness.
They often wake up with fear as their only companion. Wake up in the morning and try to figure out how can I make this day better than yesterday or maybe it doesn't even matter because no one cares whether I live or die.
This is the world that I came from. This was the land of darkness where I spent endless days and nights. Thank you God because I no longer live there
. My choice, is to go back there day after day to be able to change the lives of those I encounter. My choice, is to make a difference in the lives of those that are less fortunate than I. In my travels during the day I encounter Angels. Those people that sacrifice to be able to serve and make a difference. My friend Dennis is one of those. I get to walk with Angels.
 My problem today is "how do I support those Angels?"
If you'd like to know check out my link.
http://ligal-ease.com

10 ways to protect your identity

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2010/09/22/10-ways-to-protect-yourself-from-id-theft

 I wanted to post this article in the hope that if some of my friends out there in cyberspace are still thinking "it won't happen to me" that you are very wrong. The simple fact of the matter is that it can very well happen to anyone of us. I am writing this in the hopes that the folks that are reading this will be warned and be a bit more cautious when it comes to protecting all those random documents that could so easily lead to their identity being compromised.
As Americans we seem to have this idea that the bad stuff that we read about in the news simply happens to other people and not to us. I am here to tell you that it would be very easy for our identity to be compromised in a number of different ways.
If for instance someone uses our Social Security number to have a hospital procedure and when we go into the hospital they have the wrong information on us. This could be potentially lethal to our very lives. But once again it can't happen to us or can it? We all hope that it won't ever happen to us but statistics show that someone's identity is compromised in this country once every 3 seconds.
I have been working with the company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange for the last 32 years. I believe this is reputable company otherwise I would not be working with them. Perhaps, if you put your skepticism aside you can check this company out with an open mind.you have nothing to lose but a few moments of your precious time.

http://ligal-ease.com

Do you know how your identity is stolen ???

Dumpster Diving

Thieves sort through your garbage looking for personal information and documents, such as credit card applications. In many cases, mail is simply taken from an unlocked mailbox.

Phising

Someone impersonates a company or important authority and emails you with an official looking request for important personal information, such as verifying your bank account number, Social Security number or passwords.

Hacking

Tech savvy thieves break into databases, computers and Web sites to retrieve your stored personal information. This can include everything from your name, address and birthday to highly sensitive data like Social Security numbers and account numbers.

Spyware

This ill-intentioned software installs itself onto computers and captures information without your knowledge, such as account numbers and passwords.

Shoulder Surfing

Criminals look over your shoulder and watch you do things like fill out forms or enter ATM pins.

Vishing

Just like phishing, but performed over a phone.

Credit Card Skimming

When criminals capture your credit card number. This crime can happen anywhere, from restaurants to tampered ATMs. Your information can then be sold on the black market and used to create new credit cards so others can withdraw cash and make purchases using your account.

This is by far not a complete list but I hope to make people aware of the fact that it can happen to you. We love to thing that we will be one of the "Lucky One who get away unscathed. Denial is a wonderful thing but in this case it can be deadly.just because we make like an ostrich and bury our heads in the sand does not mean that the tiger will come and eat are butt. He love to think that we could possibly be so cursed that someone would actually steal our identity, be it our medical identity or our good name. We couldn't possibly wind up in jail for something that someone else has done in our name. I don't mean to be the bearer of gloom and doom with the reality of the situation is that it can't happen to us and it happens to good people every day. In this country someone's identity is stolen at least 3 seconds. You may consider this a note of caution.
If you are interested in doing something to protect yourself then follow the link at the bottom of this page.


http://ligal-ease.com

Frivolous Lawsuits

Serial litigant with 3800 lawsuits sued for 'frivolous litigation'

when I see headlines like this I get this feeling that we are headed down a really bad road. When I say we I mean this country as a whole. Our medical healthcare costs have gone through the roof because doctors are being sued over frivolous  bunk. Add to that, that we are three times more likely to be soon or something really stupid and we are to wind up in the hospital. We have health insurance but what do we do when we need to talk to an attorney. If you are like most of us would not know how to proceed once you get the notification in the mail that you are being sued The problem is that our laws were written by attorneys and they speak a language that is not English. It's called legalese and most people in everyday life to not understand this foreign language.
so, we get a notice in the mail says we're being audited by the IRS. We made a mistake on our taxes last year. Now what? Do we have an attorney on retainer? How much will that cost? Do we have any idea what the next indicated step is going to be in order to safeguard our good name and our rights? These may be some thorny questions but I may suggest that there is a solution. I will be posting more facts on this distressing issue in the future but if you are willing to pour a solution I suggest you follow my link.

www.ligal-ease.com

href="http://www.betternetworker.com/company/prepaid-legal-services-inc?uid=8200" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.betternetworker.com/seal.php?cid=83472&uid=8200&img_id=7" alt="Jeffrey Hernandez is a Member of Prepaid Legal Services, Inc. on BetterNetworker.com Company Profiles">.

Thing you should never reveal on Facebook

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/110663/6-things-you-should-never-reveal-on-facebook

I was cruising  into my Facebook page as I do on a regular basis and there I find that someone has posted their birthday. I know that this is not the only person on Facebook that does this. But it is not a good idea in fact it's a very bad idea. Identity thieves are cruising the social media websites all day and all night. They are putting up the bogus websites to impersonate banks and Amazon and eBay. All the silly stuff just to get someone's birthday and may be similar personal information but they don't need much. Next we know is that our bank account has been looted or a credit card has been run up in our name. Every 3 seconds someone's identity is stolen. If you know someone has had their identity taken no nightmare that they have been placed into. All of a sudden the living hell and it's not just the money.it's the time that it takes to restore person's good name and identity. A friend had it happen inadvertently by someone that she trusted. I watched what happened to this person's state of mind as she struggled to get things right in her life.
Wouldn't wish that kind of torment on anyone.
If you are concerned with this fear is one of the may want to look into a solution by following the link I posted on the bottom of this post.

Facts about ID Theft

College-age kids susceptible to ID theft | ajc.com
When Atlanta native Amanda Haimes was away at college in Massachusetts, she racked up $1000 in debit card charges at gas stations in Texas.
www.ajc.com/news/college-age-kids-susceptible-607016.html

We'll tell ourselves "it won't happen to me." The grim reality is that it could happen to me. The reality is that every three seconds someone's identity in this country is stolen. There are myriad of ways plays that thieves can get into our identity. More on that in a latter post. I simply want to let all my folks know that this is a very real threat and that hiding our heads in the sand is not going to make go away. The experts agree that there is no way to prevent identity theft. The problem now arises on how to safeguard our identities and how to repair them should they be stolen. There are lots of ways that we can insure that our identities are secure.

PLEASE, make sure you have a shredder in your home or in your office. You do not want to have your medical identity stolen. I will shortly be presenting you 10 things that anyone can find out about you. If someone is bound and determined to get ill gotten gains from stealing someone's identity they're going to do it. It's antisocial, it's illegal and it's downright despicable.

When someone becomes a victim they are literally placed a living hell because most people have no idea what to do about it when it happens

.if you're interested in finding solution to this growing problem follow the length and posting here.

http//ligal-ease.com

frivolous lawsuits

Citing "Mental Anguish," Christine O'Donnell Sought $6.9 Million in Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Against Conservative Group | The Weekly Standard

weeklystandard.com/blogs/citing-mental-anguish-ch...t-69-million-gender-discrimination-lawsuit-again – view page – cached

Citing "Mental Anguish," Christine O'Donnell Sought $6.9 Million in Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Against Conservative Group

OMG will the madness never end? How far does her system have to go in order for an everyday citizen to feel safe from the insanity of someone tripping over their sidewalk and then taking them into Small Claims Court to sue them for an exorbitant amount of money?

It is going to my attention that we are three times more likely to be sued and we are to be hospitalized. We pay exorbitant prices for medical insurance because in part of these frivolous suits.

Denial is a wonderful thing and we all want to believe that "it will happen to me."

well, I'm here to let you know that it could happen you. The same thing, hold true for identity theft. Every three seconds someone in this United States gets his identity stolen in one form or another. What can we do you ask? Follow the Link and may have the solution for you.

http://ligal-ease.com

9-11 We will never Forget

today was a day of sadness and joy mixed together. we started out to Cook's Corner with more motorcycles and I have ever seen. I was close to the front of the pack but I could not see the lead motorcycles. The fire trucks were in attendance and firefighters were at attention. it was truly awe-inspiring. The ride was escorted and we had traffic breaks for most of the way. We rode through the canyon to El Toro and then down to Laguna Beach where we were again welcomed by LB Police and Firefighters. It was rather thrilling to see the firemen sounding their sirens this we rode this long line of bikes through their lovely city.

I was truly inspired as we ran up the Coast Hwy into Newport Beach where the firetruck on the overpass had the Firefighters standing on top of it and saluting us as we rode by. The same thing happened in Huntington and I couldn't guess at the number of people on the sidewalks waving and cheering us on. Most of those folks were taking pictures or video.

I can't remember a run that was more emotionally charged or well received. I was truly humbled and honored to be a part of it and a citizen of this Great Nation

free speech

Jokes aimed at standup comic’s in-laws categorized as protected speech

By John Rogers

LOS ANGELES - A standupcomedianwho was sued for making mother-in-law jokes has had the last laugh after a federal judge threw the case out of court.

Sunda Croonquist, whose shtick for years has been to describe her life as a half-black, half-Swedish woman who marries into a Jewish family, was sued two years ago after her mother-in-law, sister-in-law and brother-in-law said her jokes were holding them up to public ridicule.

In a 21-page ruling issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Mary L. Cooper of New Jersey concluded that the examples they cited — including one in which Croonquist says her sister-in-law's voice sounds like a cat in heat — fell under the category of protected speech.

We live in the greatest nation in the world and we pay our debts to the best of our ability. paper life insurance car insurance and home insurance but we are three times more likely to wind up in court in New York to wind up in the hospital. We live in a nation that has gone crazy with suing one another. I don't really need to go into anymore ludicrous situation than the one above because we've all heard the stories. We think that it won't happen to me the problem is that it could happen to me. What is my recourse? How can I be protected from frivolous lawsuits?

I may have a solution. Follow my link and you may find something that will ease your troubled mind.

http//ligal-ease.com

Read more:http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36951176/ns/today-entertainment/#ixzz0oLWcGft8

Sentencing: Life in prison without parole for barber who set homeless man on fire - Homicide Report - Los Angeles Times

Sentencing: Life in prison without parole for barber who set homeless man on fire - Homicide Report - Los Angeles Times

it's not illegal to be homeless. Unfortunately, Ben Martin a 31-year-old white male didn't like the fact that John McGraham was homeless and living on the streets in his neighborhood. In fact, Martin disliked the fact so much that he doused the Graham with gasoline and set fire to him. He burned him alive. like many of our homeless population John McGraham was liked by many of the people in his vicinity and they fed him on a regular basis. like many of our homeless population John suffered with untreated depression. This may have been contributing factor to his homelessness. In any case he caused no one harm and simply tied to survive as best he could. The long and short of it is that we have many people that fall into this same category and I get to hang out with them on a daily basis.

I look at my job as a blessing because I get to serve those that are not only less fortunate than myself but the ones that no one else wants anything to do with. I am blessed and I know that every day of my life I know that I am blessed.

People tell me that my job is difficult and it would be really hard to do it. I don't think so. I believe that I have a divine calling and it is to serve. My belief is that he who has much as he who gives much. I am blessed and I am graced with the ability to bless others.

I and the guy on the street.

I believe that my job is to make life a little bit easier for all the people and I come in contact with.

I have a little part-time business that I use so that I can continue to be of service.

If you would like to know more follow the link. http://ligal-ease.com

Lohan sues E*Trade over ‘milkaholic’ baby - Media biz- msnbc.com

Lohan sues E*Trade over ‘milkaholic’ baby - Media biz- msnbc.com

As you might be able to tell him the title of this post we live in a society that is little more than crazy about suing each other. What are the odds that we may find ourselves in court over some frivolous detail someone took it upon themselves to consider that we did them some kind of a offense. most of us offend someone on a daily basis and it's no big deal. The problem with the legal system is that we can be taken to court for some of the most frivolous bunk and anyone can imagine. Who's fault is that? Could it be that our legal system is broken?
The fact remains that it's the only one we have it is the best we can do.
We have medical insurance but how many of us know what to do when we need to have legal advice or faced with some kind of illegal dilemma.
I suggest that there is a solution and if you'd care to learn more follow my link.
http://ligal-ease.com

Hacker gets 20 years in credit card thefts - Crime & courts- msnbc.com

Hacker gets 20 years in credit card thefts - Crime & courts- msnbc.com
I don't know about you but the thought of having some sociopathic stranger get into my bank account is something that I would really rather do without. The fact that identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the nation is at topic of major concern. I'm sure you've all seen the ads on TV and on the radio the guy that puts his Social Security number on the truck. Those folks spend a lot of money on advertising but I don't believe that they can't provide the level of safety that I have. I am currently and have had my identity protected by a company that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. If anyone is interested in checking it out follow the link to my website and it will give you the particulars.
May you have a beautiful day.
http://ligal-ease.com

The History of Computer Hacking - Newsweek

The History of Computer Hacking - Newsweek

The United States is in dire need of more elite cybersecurity experts to foil the growing number of computer-hacking attempts on government entities and businesses, from the Department of Defense to Citibank. From the mildly malicious to the truly malevolent, here’s a look back at major breaches that have already put our money and welfare at risk. Copy & Paste link to browser

http://photo.newsweek.com/2010/some-of-the-biggest-cyber-breaches-of-all-time/intro.html

So, you thought you were safe? I recently found out that non of us are safe. I attended a training yesterday and one of the presenters was an Investigator for Kroll Security & Consulting .
I found out that no one is immune from identity theft and that there are certain things that we can do to safeguard all that we have worked so hard to attain. It's scary to consider that someone could steal my identity in commit a crime. If someone could have access to my Social Security number and have a major medical procedure in my name and the next time I go to the hospital I'm in major trouble because of medical records are wrong . I will be following up with ways to protect ourselves from these unscrupulous thieves.
To learn more simply follow this link http://ligal-ease.com

DUI Patrols in Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, RSM; Checkpoint in Costa Mesa - Orange County News - Navel Gazing

DUI Patrols in Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, RSM; Checkpoint in Costa Mesa - Orange County News - Navel Gazing
this one is truly amazing. Do you notice that there is a purse on the console? this is a female who fell out of her car. Nice going. how loaded do you have to be to fall face first out of your car? And then lose your top. Unbelievable. I hope she didn't do too much damage to her face that it looks like a broker nose. Oh well. Perhaps you learn something from the experience.

the psychology of homelessness

have you ever wondered what would feel like to not have anywhere to go? Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to not have a place to come in out of the cold? But there's still, have you ever had to consider and ponder about where am I going to spend the night? Such simple but profound questions or hopefully the ones that we will never have to answer. I have the answers to those questions because I know what it feels like to be a person without a home. I know what it feels like to wake up and not want to open my eyes because I don't want to see where I'm waking up. I know what it feels like because I lived it and through the grace of God I don't have to live that lifestyle any longer.
It is truly a sad state of affairs when people need to hide from the police simply because they are sleeping outdoors. There are areas in our country where it is illegal to camp outdoors. A person can be ticketed for not having a place to live or place to sleep at night.don't get me wrong, there are shelters where my folks can come in a cold. Their cold weather shelters and they are only open during the winter months. Many of my folks do not want to stay there because it's too overcrowded and there's that rule that says that they must leave by 6 AM.
I wake up at 6 AM and my house is a little bit cold. I think of my people that are leaving the cold weather shelter. It's cold outside and I think to myself, "what can I do to make a difference?"

the guy on the street

Tonight I just want to write about some of the that my folks have to contend with on a daily basis. I am going to link to a Orange County Register article about the homeless. You see, if you are homeless then you must take all of your belongings with you wherever you go. If you are on a bicycle then you're styling. You can have a backpack and you can hang bags all over your bicycle.unfortunately, it's quite difficult to carry all your stuff with you. I can always tell what a homeless car looks like also. It seems there are some angels who are actually trying to make a difference. Those of the kind of folks that I like hanging out with.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/homeless-226023-bins-security.html

you may need to copy and paste the linked to your browser but it will be worth it. It's nice to know that there are actually people who care and are willing to take the action to make someone else's life just a little more easier and a little more blessed.
may you be blessed.

Common sense

An Obituary printed in the London Times - Interesting and sadly rather true.

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing
--------------------

Fire destroys food, gifts for 1,000 needy people | fire, caswell, gifts - News - The Orange County Register

Fire destroys food, gifts for 1,000 needy people | fire, caswell, gifts - News - The Orange County Register

Posted using ShareThis
this is so sad I went by his morning and you are all these people standing out in the street. I had to as myself"what can I do to help these poor people?" well I have posted Facebook & Twitter and will be looking for ways & means to help them rebuild. Any assistance will be gratefully appreciated.

the guy on the street

That's me, I'm the guy on the street. I'm the one that hangs out with people you see standing on the corner or on the freeway off ramp with a sign that says " helped me," because I can't help myself.This seems to be a growing problem in the richest country in the world. Every day I see more and more people waiting in the feeding lines that are provided by the churches and nonprofit organizations. The sad fact of the matter is that many of these people are mentally ill. They could not find work if it were handed to them on a Silver Platter. If they did get a job it would be short-lived due to the mental illness.
I am the guy that hangs out with these folks on a daily basis. I work for a government agency and I go home at night. I wake up in the morning and my house is a little chilly and the first thing I think about is my people that are sleeping out in a cold.
We now have some cold weather shelters that are good between 6 PM and 6 AM but then they're back out in the cold. This is indeed a sad state of affairs. The stigma of homelessness says that these are non- people who are not deserving of our generosity or compassion. The truth of the matter is that each one is someone's son, daughter, mother or father. How difficult it is it for us in this time of Christmas cheer to share some of that with those that are less fortunate than we are. My job if you will, my calling in life is to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Sometimes all it is is blessing someone with the gift of my attention. Last night, I spent some time with the person who didn't have a home who was telling me that he was a police officer. He believed what he was telling me was the truth and for him it was. He took me on a journey through the secret intimacies of his tangled mind and I was more than happy to share the journey with him. I had to leave him in the shelter but we will share more time together in the future and perhaps I can make a difference in his life. That is my hope and my goal.