"I don't give out my kids' social security number"

[BrerMom]

The "name" thread reminded me of filling out my kids applications for camp. They wanted their soc numbers! Why??? This is becoming more common on other forms, too. If they want mine so they could use the health insurance in an emergency, at least I could understand that. But why would they need a nine and eleven year old's soc number?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Very frequently it is for data entry and record keeping. People are logged in by ss#

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

I've never been asked for my kids ss#s except for tax purposes.

I know that I take a tax credit for day camp -- it qualifies as child care. when I fill out my tax return I have to use their ss#s. but I don't see why the camp would need their #s.

 

[Mskanga]

I was asked about my children's SS# at the doctor's office not too long ago and when I asked why they wanted it, they said so that they could make sure they had the right person. I said how many Rebecca XXXXXXX do you have that live in 12XX XXXXXX Rd, that was born April XX ?
They can verify many other ways , but I won't give out their SS#'s.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

MsKanga, they may need the # for your health insurer. now that I think of it, my ex husband's health insurer wouldn't issue coverage to our kids until I gave them the ss#s. my doctor doesn't need their number to file the claim, just mine or my ex husband's (depending on whose coverage is being used), but in the not too distant future I expect insurers will require the number.

 

[Mskanga]

Briar Rose, the insurance already has it , I know because I was the one who filled up the form. My husband works in a relatively small office and I'm the one always filling up all of our paperwork. For that I don't have a problem, I have to give it to them I guess, but for other purposes I won't. There are many other ways that the office can make sure they have the right person.

 

[Princess_Aurora]

We only need it at the dr's office. I guess it's so they can verify that the person they're treating is indeed covered by our insurance. I think it's to help prevent against insurance fraud...you know, so I don't take in my friend's kid and claim that it's mine. I'm not sure why a camp would need it though??? Maybe to make sure your kids don't have bad credit

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

Originally posted by Mskanga
Briar Rose, the insurance already has it , I know because I was the one who filled up the form. My husband works in a relatively small office and I'm the one always filling up all of our paperwork. For that I don't have a problem, I have to give it to them I guess, but for other purposes I won't. There are many other ways that the office can make sure they have the right person.

who files the claim form, you or the doctor? and do they file claim forms for other patients even if they don't file yours?

 

[Mskanga]

Originally posted by Briar Rose 7457
who files the claim form, you or the doctor? and do they file claim forms for other patients even if they don't file yours?

The doctor does, and that's why they have a member ID number on the card, they go by that, not SS#.

 

[eeyoreforever]

I asked about this once at a doctors office and they said it was just a standard form and they didnt really need it. I never put it on anything either besides tax returns. Actually, our school uses it. They use the last 5 digits as the students id number. Don't like that either.

 

[powellrj]

MY kids school asks for it every year on the forms, but I always leave it blank. Way too many people have acess to these forms for me to feel comfortable giving it out. My oldest is in college and my youngest is in 1st grade and no one has ever questioned why they don't have ss# at the school. When I know my school gives out imformation to marketing firms, I don't want anyone to have that imformation if I can help it. (I did have to give it to my DS college, but it was a have to situation)

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

My kids' elementary school used to ask for it, but I assume there were complaints, because they discontinued it. What really irked me...and what probably precipitated the complaints...were that room parents were provided with a class list which included name, address, parents' names, and the kids' SS#.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

We have had to supply SS card and birth certificate for DS's USSSA Baseball.

Ours are also our driver's license number. We do have the option to change that but so far we have not.

I guess I just believe that if someone wants to steal your identity bad enough there are unlimited ways they can do it. I am all for being cautious, but there is a limit.

 

[Boo'sMom]

I can tell you, through my experience with BSA, that we require the SSN on each annual application, as well as on camp registrations because the BSA carries supplemental insurance for each scout. This allows us add each child to the insurance so that if heaven forbid anything happens they are covered under the BSA insurance.


Perhaps it is something along those lines. We often have parents who don't want/don't have that information for the registrations, but when we explain why we need it, we always get it from them.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I received a bill from my GYN's office for another patient of his that has the same name. I called them real fast! You would think they would ask for a birth date when a patient visits. Richard's pediatrician's office does. They have another patient with the same name as Richard. They ALWAYS ask me for his birth date. I think I'd rather see a pediatrician! They seem to be much more effecient.