Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR) Practice Exam

Which items are valid identifiers to establish a patient's identification?

1. Photo identification and insurance card

2. Employment verification

3. Photo identification, date of birth, and social security number

4. Medical history and emergency contact

The correct answer is: Photo identification, date of birth, and social security number

The validity of identifiers used to establish a patient's identification hinges on the ability of those identifiers to uniquely and accurately verify a patient's identity. In this case, photo identification, date of birth, and social security number collectively form a robust method for confirming a patient's identity due to their specificity and personal nature. Photo identification serves as a clear visual marker of identity, aiding in immediate recognition. The date of birth provides an essential piece of personal information that is less likely to be identical among different individuals. The social security number is a unique number assigned to each individual, which further enhances the ability to distinguish one patient from another. Together, these elements create a strong identification framework that minimizes the risk of misidentification. In contrast, while photo identification and an insurance card might seem valid, the insurance card alone may not provide complete identity verification, as it can be shared among family members or include overlapping information. Employment verification does not typically relate directly to identifying a patient, making it less relevant. Meanwhile, medical history and emergency contact details are useful for clinical and safety purposes but do not serve as primary identifiers for confirming identity in the same definitive way as photo identification, date of birth, and social security number do.