Hi Susan and Diane -
Thanks so much for your comments, as well as your concerns about the site. As I noted in my Share, there are several protections built in for those who use the site. While I appreciate concerns about possibly fraudulent use of the site, I believe those situations tend to make the news because they are rare, and the majority of people who seek financial support for an illness are sincere and legitimate.
Last summer, Harvard researchers published a paper that concluded that illness or medical bills contributed to 62 percent of bankruptcies in 2007, up from about half in 2001. More than three-fourths of those with medical debt had health insurance. Just in my own circle of friends, in the past six months, five families have been financially devastated by medical bills despite having health insurance coverage. The sad reality is that the costs associated with an illness complicate an already difficult situation and have a negative impact on healing. I'd love to see more recognition of these realities, and more support for those who need help.
It may surprise you to learn that those most in danger of being affected by fraud from the use of sites like this are the patients. As social networking sites have developed so that seriously ill people can maintain contact with friends and family, they have also become the targets of sophisticated scammers, often from other countries. In some cases the scammers have stolen data and photos about children and then set up fake donation sites, harming both the person deceived into donating and the patient who needs the funds.
It's important that everyone involved be cautious - donors need to validate the appeal as legitimate and patients need to take identity theft and safety precautions that go above and beyond the norm. It would be a real kindness and benefit to the families of those with serious illnesses if people who are skilled in the use of social media and in Internet security offered to help families who aren't sophisticated in those areas. Thanks for bringing up this issue.
Take good care,
Pat
Comment Reply
Hi Susan and Diane -
Thanks so much for your comments, as well as your concerns about the site. As I noted in my Share, there are several protections built in for those who use the site. While I appreciate concerns about possibly fraudulent use of the site, I believe those situations tend to make the news because they are rare, and the majority of people who seek financial support for an illness are sincere and legitimate.
Last summer, Harvard researchers published a paper that concluded that illness or medical bills contributed to 62 percent of bankruptcies in 2007, up from about half in 2001. More than three-fourths of those with medical debt had health insurance. Just in my own circle of friends, in the past six months, five families have been financially devastated by medical bills despite having health insurance coverage. The sad reality is that the costs associated with an illness complicate an already difficult situation and have a negative impact on healing. I'd love to see more recognition of these realities, and more support for those who need help.
It may surprise you to learn that those most in danger of being affected by fraud from the use of sites like this are the patients. As social networking sites have developed so that seriously ill people can maintain contact with friends and family, they have also become the targets of sophisticated scammers, often from other countries. In some cases the scammers have stolen data and photos about children and then set up fake donation sites, harming both the person deceived into donating and the patient who needs the funds.
It's important that everyone involved be cautious - donors need to validate the appeal as legitimate and patients need to take identity theft and safety precautions that go above and beyond the norm. It would be a real kindness and benefit to the families of those with serious illnesses if people who are skilled in the use of social media and in Internet security offered to help families who aren't sophisticated in those areas. Thanks for bringing up this issue.
November 30, 2009 - 12:00pmTake good care,
Pat
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