Why do doctors' office need to know my Social Security Number?

[question everything]

I have an appointment for an eye exam. Quite routine, and they mailed me several forms to fill. One of them wants me to list not only my SS number, but also my spouse's. The insurance is on my name.

I am leaving both spaces blank. I am a returned patient, they know that whatever the insurance company will not pay, I will.

Perhaps they can be trusted. But with the first breach of security on their computers, both mine and my spouse's SS numbers will be compromised.

If they need to conduct a credit search on us - I'd rather go to a different clinic.

Is this a common practice?

[bluedawg12]

1. I think it has to do with insurance billing info. n/t

[question everything]

2. It used to be that my insurance ID was the same as SS number

but then they changed it.

I will call my insurance company to ask. Good suggestion.

[cliffordu]

3. So the collection agencies can find you if you cannot pay.

[davidinalameda]

16. they don't need your SS# to find you

there are other ways for collection agencies to find you

[TexasObserver]

22. You are correct. It's all about The Benjamins.

[Blue Diadem]

38. That's what we were always told about checks years ago.

They wanted us to copy the SS # onto customer checks along with DL # when approving them. This was before the automatic check approval process they have now. We were told that it was the only way our store could recover money if the customer bounced the check and refused to make good.

[jamesb2004]

4. So they can destroy your credit

when they overbill and you don't pay what you don't owe. I work on medical billing and scheduling software so I'm an unwilling party to the medical scam. I do what I can to help when I can.

[Betsy Ross]

5. You don't usually have to. Leave it blank.

Medicare - that's your ID.

[JanusAscending]

7. My Medicare #...

is my Social Sec. #, with a letter A at the end of it!!! Isn't it this way in all of the States???

[Betsy Ross]

41. Yes, always the case for Medicare

But if you are not Medicare the doctor should not need your SS#.

[Hekate]

6. You don't have to give it, but so many offices will insist that I finally gave up.

You are absolutely right though -- it is intrusive, unnecessary, and too much information for their files.

Hekate

[question everything]

9. Thanks. Will see if I can get away with blank space

And I definitely am not going to provide my spouse's number.

[WillieW]

34. I write sometimes "private" in that space

It works some times.

[bluedawg12]

8. Medical bills are sent on HICFA forms to the Insurance Co.

that form requires soc or it will not go through.

In short, the Insurance Co. wants it.

[zeos3]

10. right

They probably send all the insurance claims to the Medical Information Bureau with your SS# because your insurance ID# would change if you changed insurance companies.

[question everything]

12. Why do they want my spouse's SS number

if I am the one with the insurance?

I almost think that it is better to pay upfront and get reimbursed by the insurance company..

[bluedawg12]

29. Paying up front is nice for the medical practice = cash flow.

However, someone still has to send in the paper work for your reimbursment.

Usually patients don't want that big fat hassle. There are now medical billing specialists who code the diagnosis and the procedure ( office visit) into numerical code, and many companies demand electroinc claims to be filled.

So, if you pay the docs office will bill for you, as a courtesy, to help you get your payment back - reimbursment from the insurance co.

Medicare- the Fed- now wants electornic claims only.

Your information is protected by law- HIPAA- so there is not much sinsiter your doc will do with your soc. IMHO.


The practice has a routine sign in form, and since many people are covered under some family plan, they want the spouse's soc in case that's where the policy comes from.

You can tell them N/A Ins. under your name and not provide spouse's soc. - I would discuss it with the practice.

[zeos3]

43. My guess is

that this is a way to cover their bases. Let's say your spouse was the primary insured on the policy, they would look up this number to see the past claims history. An individual policy has one policy number that is used by the primary insured and all dependents. A group policy uses one number for all members and dependents. (This is generally speaking) They use the SSNs for information on the individuals within these policies.

[question everything]

11. What is HICFA form?

And why isn't my insurance ID number and group number enough?

And if the insurance is under my name, why do they need my spouse's SS number?

[bluedawg12]

31. HCFA forms are how medical bills are filed

Here's a sample of how "easy" it is to deal with insruance billing:

>>
While the HIPAA transaction standard has brought many providers into the realm of electronic billing, the fact remains that HCFA 1500 forms will not go away anytime soon.

Additionally the output of this form can be routed through Impact EDI Transform and converted into a HIPAA 837p claim. The lack of detail provided in a HCFA 1500 when mapped to a HIPAA 837p forces mapping decisions to be made. We can help define the rules your organization will need to effectively integrate paper forms and increase Heads Down Data Entry productivity. These same problems also apply to a UB92 Form when converted to a HIPAA 837i. <<


The best bet is to ask your physicuians office regarding their policy and forms.

Frankly, it costs about 6% of the amount collected off the top of medical income for a practice to provide insurance billing for patients. The other alternative, pay as you go, file the claim yourself, the form must be mistake free, and you can wait the 45 days for re-imbursment, unless there was a glitch and there often is, then the 45 days starts all over again.

Plus, some insurance co.'s want a copy of the office visit note, so migt ask for copies when you do your own billing. Then--good luck. it ain't easy.

[bluedawg12]

32. One other thought about the soc--name duplication

how many tom smiths are there in town?

Sometimes one needs a soc because there are several people with the same name.

[vanlassie]

28. Not True. I work for a major insurance company. We use alternate ID numbers now.

SSNs are NOT required, and we are starting to have plan sponsors who don't even send them to us anymore- they send an employee number. Then we assign an alternate number. SSNs are leaving the medical insurance world rapidly.

[tblue]

13. It is NOT required!!! I know people who NEVER give them their SSN.

They can't force you.

[emilyg]

14. I never do.

[TahitiNut]

15. "How much do you plan on depositing to my Social Security account?"

That's what I ask when asked to give them the number. Sometimes they actually get the hint.

[Tulum_Moon]

19. To QE

It is not required. They do use it for collection purposes. I have given it to my Dr.s that I hope to be there for years. Pediatrician and my two Dr.,s.
My husband has a kinda common name, and when we lived in L.A. area he was called by many collection agencies. He would ask what S.S. # they had on record, when it was wrong of course, he would tell them to go AWAY! NEVER tell them your SS #. Just tell them they have it wrong. Do NOT carry your SS card in your wallet. Make sure your Med. Insurance card does not have your whole SS # on it. Ours has the last 4 digits of my husbands.
The school requires SS# for registration. Cool. They wont give it out. I do not memorize my kids SS#. It is always on all kinds of stuff I fill out. I just say "I don't carry that with me". There is never an argument. So one more time, DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR SS#, sorry to yell!

[question everything]

27. Thanks, I will see if I can stand my ground

and still have the appointment.

My spouse, too, has a common name, so we are using the full name, including middle on all financial accounts. Never got calls from collection agencies.... yet.

[vanlassie]

30. I would place my insurance ID in both spots.

[endthewar]

21. Bwahahahaha!!!

:rofl:

[bean fidhleir]

17. Before I retired (Medicare uses the SS number)

I used to say that I prefer not to use my SS number for anything but SS-related purposes. Only one clerk was ever rigid enough to give me an argument; the rest just smiled and said "no problem".

[WillieW]

36. you don't get a card until you retire, not before

[bean fidhleir]

39. Your point is...?

[Ghost in the Machine]

18. It's like a VIN number on a car, see... and they're putting your info in a big database...

just like at carfacts.com...
















:evilgrin:


:hi:

[InkAddict]

26. Yup, gotta track those pre-existing conditions...

and w/the way that workers change jobs and corps change insurance plans...

[Hepburn]

20. So if you don't pay, a collection agency can find you and fuck over your credit rating. n/t

[Lifetimedem]

23. I had a doctor refuse to see me without it

The secretary got real snotty and told me it was a "federal law" , passed by congress and that she could get it on line if she wanted to.

That is the only doctor that has ever demanded it though.

That has become a kind of national ID and I am not happy about it.

[gollygee]

24. They're probably used to asking for it from when insurance companies used SSNs

I'd just keep that part blank.

[raccoon]

25. That aggravates me too. Kick. nt

[WillieW]

33. This has been a long standing beef of mine. Social security numers are for social security

[plaintiff]

35. It is aggravating but your SSN is already in several hundred databases

unless you're a hermit in a cave. :-)

[earth mom]

37. I wish there was a thread like this last week!

I took my son to a new dentist and they got me for both mine and my husbands social security numbers. However, the receptionist told me that I could refuse and should refuse to give my sons social security number. Which was good to know. But I'd rather if I'd known I could refuse to give them any of our numbers. :argh:

[question everything]

42. So this is how it ended. I first called the insurance company and asked

and, of course, they do not require SSN.

I then followed another suggestion here and put my insurance ID in the space for SSN.

I came to the office, the harried receptionist just got the papers and shoved them in my file, made a photocopy of my insurance card and... I was in.

[LanternWaste]

40. it's standard...

I used to do Outpatient Diagnostic Scheduling for about 18 mnths in the mid-nineties. It's standard, it's the most efficient and effective way to track down patient info w/o any mix ups.

It's the normal form of I.D. verification between the medical community and insurance co.s