LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim April 2015, as Medical Identity Theft Awareness Month in the
State of New York

WHEREAS, Medical identity theft is reported to be the fastest-growing
crime over the past seven years; and
WHEREAS, Medical identity theft involves the theft of both patient and
physician identification numbers and affects between 250,000 and 500,000
individuals per year; and
WHEREAS, The latest Federal Trade Commission data show more than 3,600
physicians and patient cases of medical identity theft were reported in
2009, with more than 12,000 cases reported between 2007 and 2009; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association,
of the $60 billion dollars in health care fraud each year, $6 billion
per year is attributed to medical identity theft; and
WHEREAS, It can take several months, or even up to a year, before
medical identity theft is discovered; and
WHEREAS, Victims of medical identity theft are left with few avenues
for assistance as compared to other kinds of identity theft; and
WHEREAS, Creating a month dedicated to medical identity theft will
raise awareness and educate individuals on ways to protect themselves
from victimization; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 2015, as Medical
Identity Theft Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.