Healthcare.gov – Are They Stealing Your Identity?

I began tweeting my concerns over Healthcare.gov security issues back before the Injured Money website went live. These concerns peaked in October following the Healthcare.gov launch when online security experts reported the site to be suffering from serious security vulnerabilities.  At the same time employees of both Health and Human Services (HHS) and CGI Group, the main developer of the site, stated the security of the site had been compromised in order to meet the launch schedule.

Do Healthcare.gov Security Issues Really Matter?

There are two reasons security issues with Healthcare.gov should concern you:

1. The information that can be stolen is significant, much more than just a credit card number. Healthcare.gov has all your information, including: address, phone, email, social security number, and even your income. As we all come under the oversight of ObamaCare, the federal government also becomes the custodian of our medical records. There are no approvals to sign, it’s automatic. The federal government gets your medical records without you granting any special permission.
2. The notification process following a security breach is lacking. Unlike a private company which is required by law to notify customers if their personal information is stolen, there is no such requirement for the federal government. In December Watchdog reported “even though the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was asked to include a notification provision in the rules being drawn up for the new federal exchange, it declined to do so.”

This is much more than simply identity theft. This combination of healthcare.gov having so much information, the widely reported lack of security for healthcare.gov and the lack of policy for how to handle identity theft, if and when it happens, is a dangerous combination.  As we move into the future and our medical records are also included with the other information the government owns, this becomes truly a disturbing thought.

What can You do About Healthcare.gov Security Issues?

Don’t buy your insurance on the federal exchange until it is proven secure and laws are in place requiring notification if your personal information is stolen. To get around using the exchange, go to the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) and find an agent in your area. Work with them to purchase your insurance.