A bit of good news for the new year

It's always nice to end a year with good news, so here's a tiny tidbit.

Somebody's taking a step away from the relentless progress our society's making towards achieving the position of world leader in identity theft. Medical Mutual, one of the kingpins of insurance in Ohio (they serve only Ohioans), recently sent out a letter to business owners who offer health insurance through their good offices. The "Dear Valued Medical Mutual Group Official" greeting announces that they are actually going to stop forcing you to use their social security numbers as the ID# on your employee's insurance cards.

Yes, they're still going to ask for it and use it to process your company records internally, but at least you can tell your employees they'll have one less piece of paper in their wallets that shamelessly broadcasts their federal ID number for all the world to see--and write down.

It's not much, really. But it's also not nothing. I hope more companies, both in Ohio and in the nation, will follow this lead. Thanks, MM, for tipping your hat in favor of "private" citizens' privacy.

And may the Good Fairy of 2006 reign over all your business and personal dealings this coming year. " )