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" Imagine getting a bill for thousands of dollars for a medical procedure you never had. It&amp;#039;s already happened to more than 250,000 Americans who have had their medical identities stolen (someone else has pretended to be them in order to get health care or medication), according to World Privacy Forum, a research group. Safeguard your medical information with these tips from Jim Stickley of Trace Security, author of The Truth About Identity Theft.   1. Ask the staff at your doctor&amp;#039;s office if you can bring your chart with you into the examination room instead of leaving it outside the door.   2. Don&amp;#039;t let an uninsured friend &amp;quot;borrow&amp;quot; your insurance card-she may keep using it without your OK. Medical identity is most often stolen by someone you know.   3. Closely examine your medical bills to make sure you&amp;#039;re only being charged for services you received.   4. Shred old insurance cards and statements before throwing them away. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/womens-health/a3293/4-ways-to-protect-your-medical-identity-32565/?src=shelter_footer>