Claire Dawson
Hospitals and healthcare providers often request Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from patients. While this is a common practice, it is not a legal requirement, and patients are not obligated to provide their SSN. In fact, due to the sensitive nature of SSNs, it may be advisable to avoid sharing them unless necessary. Hospitals and healthcare providers have a reputation for being targets for cybercriminals, and SSNs are valuable commodities on the black market. If a patient is uncomfortable sharing their SSN, they can express their concerns and ask why the hospital requires it. In some cases, alternative forms of identification may be accepted, such as a driver's license or photo ID.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hospitals' use of SSN | Hospitals use SSN to identify patients, share medical records, and collect on medical debt. |
| Risks | SSN is sensitive information that can be used for identity theft if stolen. |
| Legality | Hospitals are not legally required to ask for SSN, and patients are not obligated to provide it. |
| Alternatives | Patients can provide other forms of identification, such as a driver's license or photo ID. |
| Recommendations | Patients are advised to question the need for SSN and push back if they are uncomfortable providing it. |
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What You'll Learn
Identity theft
While hospitals and healthcare providers often request a patient's Social Security Number (SSN), it is not mandatory to provide it unless you are at a diagnostic facility or in non-emergency medical care. Your SSN is a universal identifier and can be used to track you down in the case of billing issues or unpaid medical bills. However, it is also a key target for identity thieves, who can use your SSN to open new credit and bank accounts, rent an apartment, or even get a job.
There are several precautions you can take to protect yourself from identity theft:
- Do not carry your SSN card with you, and do not routinely carry your SSN.
- Never say your SSN aloud in public.
- Be cautious of phishing scams via emails, internet links, and phone calls that may trick you into revealing personal information.
- If your SSN has been exposed in a data breach, check, freeze, and monitor your credit.
- If your SSN has been used to obtain credit, loans, telephone accounts, or other goods and services, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and report it at IdentityTheft.gov.
If you are asked to provide your SSN to a healthcare provider, you can politely push back and express your concern about identity theft. Ask if there are other forms of identification that would be acceptable, such as a driver's license or photo ID. You also have the option to leave the SSN field blank or ask them to fill it with zeros if it is a computerized form.
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Medicare and insurance
While hospitals and healthcare providers are not required to accept every patient, and they are allowed to implement policies to reduce the chances of patients not paying their bills, they are not permitted to discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
In the United States, Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people aged 65 or older. It also covers individuals with permanent kidney failure or those receiving disability benefits. There are four types of Medicare coverage, known as "Parts". Signing up for Medicare Parts A and B is done through Social Security, and it is recommended to sign up as soon as possible to avoid penalties or gaps in coverage.
Providing your Social Security Number (SSN) to a healthcare provider is risky, as it can be used to access your personal health and financial information, and potentially steal your identity. Healthcare providers do not need your SSN in most cases, but they may request it to track you down if billing issues arise. It can also serve as a means of identification, as it is the one universal identifier of all Americans. However, other forms of identification, such as a driver's license or photo ID, can also be used.
If a healthcare provider asks for your SSN, you can politely decline and express your concern about identity theft. You have the right to ask why they require your SSN, and they may suggest alternative solutions, such as filling the field with zeros. Remember that your SSN is only supposed to be used for Social Security and other federal government programs. In the case of Medicare, you will need to provide your SSN during the sign-up process to enrol in the program officially.
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Hospitals' acceptance of patients
Hospitals and healthcare providers are not required to accept a patient and are permitted to have policies that decrease the chances that a patient will not pay their medical bill. While your healthcare provider may be permitted to see you as a patient even if you refuse to provide your Social Security Number (SSN), most hospitals and diagnostic facilities require that you provide it unless you are in need of emergency medical care.
Hospitals and doctors' offices often request your SSN for transactions, and many medical providers will refuse to treat you without it. This is because the SSN acts as a universal identifier for all Americans, allowing healthcare providers to collect on medical debt. According to a report from the American Hospital Association, over $40 billion in hospital bills are unpaid each year. However, the healthcare industry has a reputation for being a "leaky sieve" for confidential information, with hospitals leading the way in data breaches. As such, it is not unreasonable for consumers to be worried about sharing their SSN with healthcare providers.
If you are uncomfortable providing your SSN, you can try leaving the SSN field on forms blank, or providing a "dummy" number. You can also ask what other forms of identification the hospital will accept, such as a driver's license or passport. If the hospital insists on obtaining your SSN, you may want to consider finding another provider.
If you can't pay your medical bills, it is better to make arrangements for payment, obtain health insurance coverage, or get government-sponsored coverage rather than going into debt.
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Alternatives to SSN
Generally, you are not obligated to provide your SSN to healthcare providers, but they are also not obligated to take you as a patient if you refuse to do so. Health insurers will likely ask for it, and you must provide it if you're entering a VA hospital. Medicare ID cards used to include Social Security numbers, but now they have an 11-character Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) that is a mix of letters and numbers.
If you are uncomfortable providing your SSN, you can try the following alternatives:
- Leave the SSN field blank on the form and see if that gets you a pass.
- Politely push back and express your concern about identity theft. Ask why the healthcare facility requires your SSN. In some cases, they may only need it because there is a field in their computerized medical records that must be filled in. You can ask them to use zeros instead.
- Offer an alternative form of identification or contact information, such as your driver's license or cell phone number, especially if they need your SSN to track you down in case of billing problems. However, be cautious about what other information you share, as you want to keep as many identifying numbers private as possible.
- Ask them about their security practices and how they will protect your SSN.
- Freeze your credit so you don't have to worry about your SSN being misused.
- If you are still not satisfied with their answer, consider finding another healthcare provider.
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Data breaches
While hospitals and diagnostic facilities often require patients to provide their Social Security Number (SSN), doing so can be risky. SSNs are considered a primary type of personally identifiable information (PII) and are supposed to be kept secure and private. However, the healthcare industry has a reputation for being a "leaky sieve" for confidential information, and hospitals are a "preferred target" for cybercriminals. In 2015, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that 113.2 million healthcare-related records were stolen—the most ever. Furthermore, about half of all healthcare organizations had little to no confidence in their ability to detect the loss or theft of patient data, and most lack the budget to secure their data.
The consequences of SSN theft can be dire, as thieves can gain easy access to victims' personal health and financial information and steal their identities. SSNs are highly sought-after on the black market. According to the 2018 Identity Fraud Study from Javelin Strategy & Research, more SSNs than credit card numbers were stolen for the first time that year. Additionally, sensitive information like SSNs is taken in more than 70% of hospital data breaches, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
One of the largest data breaches involving SSNs occurred in August 2024, when National Public Data (NPD) disclosed that nearly every American's SSN had been compromised, along with full names, phone numbers, and current and past addresses. The total number of records breached is estimated to be 2.9 billion, totaling 277GB of data. NPD first admitted to being the victim of a data breach in a notification published on its website on August 15, 2024, acknowledging that a third-party threat actor had attempted to hack into its data as early as December 2023.
In the event of a data breach, individuals can take several steps to protect themselves. These include placing a fraud alert on their credit file by contacting credit bureaus like Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion; freezing their credit to prevent unauthorized access; using strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication for online accounts; and remaining cautious of phishing attempts.
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Frequently asked questions
No, you are not legally required to provide your SSN to a hospital. However, they may refuse to accept you as a patient if you do not.
Hospitals ask for your SSN as a means of identifying you and sharing your medical records. It is also used as a guarantee of payment.
Medical identity theft is a huge problem, with sensitive information like SSNs taken in over 70% of hospital data breaches. Only a few organisations have a legal right to your SSN.
You can politely push back and express your concern about identity theft. You can also ask what other forms of identification they would accept, such as a driver's license or photo ID.
Most hospitals will not require you to provide your SSN if you require emergency medical care.
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