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FTC Delays Identity Theft Rule Yet Again
coondoggie sends news that the FTC, at the request of several members of Congress, has delayed enforcement of anti-ID-theft rules — for the fourth time since the original implementation date, November 2008. "The [Red Flags] rule requires financial institutions and other creditors to develop and carry out identity-theft prevention programs. ... The problem with the rule revolves around which entities must comply and develop identity-theft prevention programs. ... 'It's the act of delaying payment for services that can sweep in entities you wouldn't normally think of as creditors,' Kuehn said. Already, the American Bar Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants have sued, saying that the Red Flags Rule shouldn't apply to their members."
If you read the article, it claims that the issue is the Red Flags rule, which is aimed at preventing *misuse* of identification information while accessing services rather than theft of identification from their systems.
This definitely should apply to the medical industry. Or have you not yet heard of people not only getting billed for medical procedures that they have not had, but simultaneously having their medical history corrupted and having their insurance history mangled as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_theft#Medical_identity_theft