Medical identity theft is a term used to describe instances when an individual will use the personal data of another person in order to obtain medical services without paying for them. This occurs in the United States when an individual may not have insurance or may not have enough insurance. They will steal the identity of another person and use that when asked for it by doctors. Insurance medical cards may be stolen and in use for this purpose. Individuals who commit medical identity theft may also be hoping to obtain prescription medication under a different name, often so they can use it or sell it for a profit. In some situations, medical identity theft can go unnoticed for months, if not longer, because it often takes insurance companies this long to process claims.