Doctors require your social security number?

[eremite06]

My wife was told by a doctor's staff that Florida law requires her to give them her social security number. I think this is bogus, although, I think the doctor can refuse the appointment.

[rjm1cc]

I have not heard this. I think the use of SS numbers has been cut back on for non financial uses. The medicare number is no longer the SS number. I would say he is wrong.

[Stu from NYC]

We moved here a year ago and have seen a number of new DR's and have filled out their forms.

We leave the parts about the SS number blank and nobody seems to care. All they want is a copy of our insurance card

[Skip]

SSN is NOT required. Your Medicare Number is NOT required unless you are on ordinary Medicare and not a supplement or advantage plan.

Sharing your SSN number with any one other than the IRS is dangerous. They will put that number and your personal information, like address, Credit Card #, DOB, etc. in a database that is easily hacked. If criminals can hack Target and the Pentagon, they can hack your doctor's records too. Took me a year and lots of money to get my identity back and I still don't know where they got my info.

Just refuse or put in 000-00-0000.

Skip

[B-flat]

We moved here a year ago and have seen a number of new DR's and have filled out their forms.

We leave the parts about the SS number blank and nobody seems to care. All they want is a copy of our insurance card

My wife and I for years have never put SS numbers on any doctor's forms. No one has ever said that we needed to. Maybe one time an office assistant asked and I said you don't need that and that ended that.

[asianthree]

One of my insurances my ID is SS #. Can’t believe it but it’s been that way for six years. So they get mine no matter what unless I don’t want them to bill. However a few years back one always in any medical field asked for Social Security number. It was much easier to use somebody else’s card go to the doctor and not have to pay. Many things have changed, but every once in awhile it still happens

[eremite06]

What bothers me is the lie saying Florida law requires you give your ss#. Show me the Fl. statute.

[J1ceasar]

Actually there is a federal mandate to make sure all SS numbers are removed from Medicare cards. That being said there's also a federal law and you cannot ask for an SS number ! So next time they ask you for that simply refuse or don't put anything in and mention that they can get sued for asking. What they can however ask for is to take a picture of your face and or see your license to verify you are who you say you are as many people that are illegal use someone else's Medicare card to get free treatment. In the old days the SS number was used to verify who you were

[Debra Freeman]

It’s not a law but the reasoning behind it is simple. Some people simply do not pay their bills, and hospitals and doctors often have little recourse if they can't contact you. As the one universal identifier of all Americans, Social Security numbers give health care providers the last-ditch means to collect on medical debt.

According to a report from the American Hospital Association, over $40 billion dollars in hospital bills are unpaid each year. This doesn't include the unpaid bills to private practice physicians or other forms of non-hospital-based care. It is an enormous problem that only serves to drive up healthcare costs nationwide.

They may refuse you treatment.

[Scott O]

My wife was told by a doctor's staff that Florida law requires her to give them her social security number. I think this is bogus, although, I think the doctor can refuse the appointment.
There is nothing bogus about it, that’s how they have proof they are treating the actual patient, whom the insurance is for...they also keep your medical information via your SS# . You can thank all the previous insurance fraud cases for that...

[Nannyof3]

I give the last 4 and I have never been asked for more

[Girlcopper]

I give the last 4 and I have never been asked for more
Me too and never has anyone questioned it. Its not a big deal and that question has benn on forms since the beginning of time.

[TNLAKEPANDA]

I never fill in my SS. They don’t need it.

[mikemalloy]

It seems to me that a drivers license with your picture together with a valid insurance card is enough ID for medical treatment. Your SS Number as has been stated is for collection purposes not identification. Medical offices are one of the sources of identity theft and dishonest office employees have access to a treasure trove of important information. The doctors I see collect the co pays before treatment. There's no valid reason why they would need social security numbers and I don't give mine out any more.

[DAVES]

My wife was told by a doctor's staff that Florida law requires her to give them her social security number. I think this is bogus, although, I think the doctor can refuse the appointment.

I too am concerned. Your social security number is an important tool for ID theft. In a doctor's office, dentist etc, you do not know who or what has access to the information that we provide to them. Doctor's staff? Many of the first contact people, the folks on the phone have no qualification other than having bought a white coat.

[DAVES]

Actually there is a federal mandate to make sure all SS numbers are removed from Medicare cards. That being said there's also a federal law and you cannot ask for an SS number ! So next time they ask you for that simply refuse or don't put anything in and mention that they can get sued for asking. What they can however ask for is to take a picture of your face and or see your license to verify you are who you say you are as many people that are illegal use someone else's Medicare card to get free treatment. In the old days the SS number was used to verify who you were

Re: social security number.
I'm sure the criminals know. It likely was your student ID number. I find it spooky how easy it is to find information on anyone. My sister was all bent out of shape about something called SPOKEO. The information on me said I am over 150 and have more money than Buffet. Recently, it has gotten closer to the truth. It also says I am related to only one listed is my Aunt. I can only guess she looked me up and either she or the company updated my files. Amusing, she is quite elderly, she does not know my birthday and put in the wrong date.

[retiredguy123]

It could be that doctors collect SSNs because it is helpful to their collection agencies when overdue bllls go that route. Otherwise, I don't see how the SSN would be of much use to the doctor's office. Obviously, if the patient and the insurance company pay the bill, the only thing needed is the money.

[Viperguy]

With the right search.....your SSN can be found. Almost a guarantee. Does anyone really believe that government, hospital, bank, data bases are safe or haven't been compromised already?

[kendi]

What bothers me is the lie saying Florida law requires you give your ss#. Show me the Fl. statute.

Or misinformed

[NoMoSno]

147.9 million US consumers were affected in the 2017 Equifax breach.
names, home addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, social security numbers, and driver's license numbers
Sad that a credit reporting agency was hacked.
Freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian, Transunion.
Google it to see if your account was affected.
was my equifax account hacked - Google Search (https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=was+my+equifax+account+hacked)

[sborlove]

My wife was told by a doctor's staff that Florida law requires her to give them her social security number. I think this is bogus, although, I think the doctor can refuse the appointment.

FALSE!!! Your SS# is not required and should never be given to anyone at any medical facility. If they say that it is required you can either leave and find a more reputable doctor or turn them in to the authorities for trying to steal your identity. IT IS NOT FLORIDA LAW AND SHOULD NEVER BE GIVEN OUT.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

There is nothing bogus about it, that’s how they have proof they are treating the actual patient, whom the insurance is for...they also keep your medical information via your SS# . You can thank all the previous insurance fraud cases for that...

Untrue. Doctors are not authorized to ask the Social Security department to identify one of their patients. The ONLY use (at this point in time) that a doctor would have for your social security number is to commit fraud.

For whoever has their SS# as their identification number on an insurance plan - call that insurance plan and have them issue a new number. Or get a different insurance plan. There is ZERO reason for your SS# to be used to identify you anymore.

SS# are used for financial institutions and employers for tax purposes only. Your bank needs it, a mortgage policy would need it, a company you invest in the market with needs it, your employer needs it.

[Number 10 GI]

Fake social security cars are easily obtainable so providing an SSAN is no guarantee of identity.

[newgirl]

Just give the last four, no need for any other digits

[newgirl]

Just give the last four, no need for any other digits if you are seeing a pain doctor, think they use it to flag abusers.
Other doctors have no need for it.

[Chaberkorn]

My wife was told by a doctor's staff that Florida law requires her to give them her social security number. I think this is bogus, although, I think the doctor can refuse the appointment.

Doctors will normally ask for your Medicare card, drivers license and insurance card. The MBI number has replaced social security numbers. I would call your insurance company if the doctors office insists. You can give them the last 4 numbers.
Medicare insurance agent.

[chrissy2231]

They get it anyway from your health insurance. I leave line blank and never had problem.

[Roron123]

Never give out your social security number

[OhioBuckeye]

My wife was told by a doctor's staff that Florida law requires her to give them her social security number. I think this is bogus, although, I think the doctor can refuse the appointment..
Don’t know why they would need to your S.S. #, that’s pretty personal & that could give them some very personal in & & out information of your personal things that they don’t need to know. When we got our Covid shots we just had to sign a form saying you gave them permission to give you a shot, name, address & phone #. I’ve heard of one case that they asked for S.S. # & this person ( a lady) just put 000-00-0000 & she still got the shot no questions asked. So if you want the shot let your conscience tell you what to do!

[BethBowen]

Medicare pays for the shot and testing.

[blueash]

Lots of errant information on this thread. There is No law that you must give your SSN to a doctor or hospital. And contrary to a post, there also is no law that says they cannot ask you for it. You cannot sue because they asked you for your SSN [ok you can sue but you have no case] I have refused to give mine out for well over two decades. Yes the doctor could refuse to accept you as a patient. A doctor can refuse a patient for any reason. A hospital cannot.

If you try to "turn them in for trying to steal your identity" you will be laughed at, deservedly.

Someone posted that the doctor gets your SSN from your insurance company anyhow. That is wrong. The insurance company does not share that information, and if you are smart, you never gave it to the insurance company when you got the coverage.

There is no reason to give them the last four numbers, or any numbers.

[stebooo]

Maybe to do with medicare claims?

[psoccermom]

The reason they want your SSN is if your account goes to collections for bad debt the collection agency has to have the number to track you.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The reason they want your SSN is if your account goes to collections for bad debt the collection agency has to have the number to track you.

That's pretty stupid reasoning there.

By your logic, all they need is a name and social security number and they can go after your debt.

But if that were true, I'd just give them a fake social security number every time. They don't check to confirm that the number you give them is correct.

They do, however, check your ID. And they do verify your insurance, if you have any.

Neither drivers' license nor insurance cards have a social security number on them. I haven't provided a social security number to any physician of any kind on any form since I was in my 30's. They have no need for it and haven't had a need for it, even when I was insured (because my insurance has always had a unique ID number).