Did you give your DCs SSNs to your medical insurance company?

[jgenie]

Ours is requesting SSNs for all of us. I don't see the point of them having DS' SSN. It's not like he can pay the balance if we don't. Just wondering if it's just a sign of the times. TIA


ETA: If you did, do you monitor your DCs credit report?

[JBaxter]

for my older 2 I did I will not for my younger 2.

[infomama]

Only when I am required to by law.

[ciw]

My guess is that they want the SSN numbers to track conditions and establish "pre-existing conditions" if you switch insurance companies. I don't think they're expecting your DC to pay. ;)

[wendibird22]

I did. It doesn't show up on any of our documents or insurance card. I figure they need them to keep track of all the "Joe Smiths" when they assign a new subscriber their subscriber ID. I'm sure they want to be sure that someone isn't scamming the system by signing up 2x's and so that the proper policy and payment terms are assigned/credited to the correct "Joe Smith" each time a claim is made. I would guess that without the SS# on file they would likely have more fraud or claims errors.

[Jen841]

Insurance companies and the gov't are old school and do things in a SSN driven manner. To reduce errors I would do it. I am in the recordkeeping industry. They will mask things on the front in, but 'guts' of the system will run on SSNs.

This is the only place I will give SSNs - medical matters to the insurance carrier and/or recordkeeper.

[shoxie]

Yes, we gave all of our SS#s to the insurance company - it doesn't bother me, but I don't like giving them to every doctor that we go to...I'm stopping that since they really don't need them. We have a subscriber ID provided by our insurance company, and I think that's enough for the doctors. Last time I took my son to a specialist, I didn't provide his SS#, and they didn't ask (though, I did give out my DH's - I just forgot not to, doh!).

[vonfirmath]

To the insurance company? Yes.
To the individual doctor? No.

[MoJo]

Yeah, we were told we had to. In fact, the whole applying for and getting the SSN for DD, so we could get it to the insurance company, in a timely manner was an issue if we wanted my insurance to pay for her birth and care.

[citymama]

I was asked for it and assumed they needed it to add her to our insurance. Didn't even know I had a choice not to - and still not sure if that's the case.

[codex57]

To the insurance company? Yes.
To the individual doctor? No.

:yeahthat:

[AnnieW625]

I would do it if they required it. I work in the insurance industry and there are people walking around with in correct social security numbers all of the time and if one of those people goes into the same drs. office as your kid and tries to claim their social they could get away with it if yours wasn't on file. Unfortunately even the SSA doesn't fight social security fraud very well at all, but honestly every little bit helps.

[vludmilla]

My insurance has just recently requested the SSN for all covered persons, even my child. I didn't like it but I provided it.

[HannaAddict]

No, no and no. They do not need it, they will assign a dummy number for you, they are not legally able to require it - period. It is used to try and collect and to track your child and once it is out in the credit file, it is there forever. They have plenty of ways to make sure John Smith is the correct person, DOB, address, etc. It is requested since that is the way they used to do it and only now are some companies affirmatively saying they don't need it and won't ask for it. It is hard to say no and some doctors and insurance companies make it seem like you HAVE to give it to them, you don't. I would not give it out.

[vludmilla]

No, no and no. They do not need it, they will assign a dummy number for you, they are not legally able to require it - period. It is used to try and collect and to track your child and once it is out in the credit file, it is there forever. They have plenty of ways to make sure John Smith is the correct person, DOB, address, etc. It is requested since that is the way they used to do it and only now are some companies affirmatively saying they don't need it and won't ask for it. It is hard to say no and some doctors and insurance companies make it seem like you HAVE to give it to them, you don't. I would not give it out.


Can you cite something that proves you don't have to provide it? I'd love to have back up as it was presented as something I HAD to do.

[megs4413]

Yeah, we were told we had to. In fact, the whole applying for and getting the SSN for DD, so we could get it to the insurance company, in a timely manner was an issue if we wanted my insurance to pay for her birth and care.

this is us, too.

ETA: the insurance company required proof that they were dependents in the form of a tax return and the tax return requires their SSNs.