[Grovenet] Social Security Number Question

[Greg & Cindy Gritton]

Hi, Everyone.

I have an odd question.

Does anyone know if it is legal for a doctor's office and their billing 
company to require the policy holder's SSN when the insurance doesn't use 
it?  After all, the reason insurances have been trying to replace SSNs as 
the policy/id number are obvious, but I've just been informed that a 
specialist we need to see will reschedule us if we don't provide the 
SSN.  This just seems crazy. I mean we'll provide it if necessary, but I 
thought I'd heard that SSNs  couldn't be required for situations like this.

Any info. would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Cindy Gritton