Consumers are on red alert about sharing personal data with businesses, thanks to the widespread publicity of major data breaches. As a result, many consumers feel trapped when they know they must reveal personal information just to get basic quotes for healthcare services.

To get a quote, the potential customer must fork over a Social Security number and birthdate—enough information for a thief to use to commit fraud and identity theft.

Consumers feel as if there's no escape: Data can be stolen at any point: over the landline phone or smartphone, on "trusted" websites, in servers … thieves are just waiting to pounce. So even though a potential (or current) customer has faith in an organization, the customer may be afraid of the pathways they must use to  interact with the organization.

Stolen healthcare information is a goldmine for cyber criminals. It's big business. This means that protecting it is big business.

A way for healthcare organizations to set themselves apart from their competition is to put a big premium on caring about the customer's data security. You can't be nonchalant. You must create a striking impression of sincere concern.

Consumers need a lot more than just hearing how well you'll reduce employee negligence, enforce HIPAA compliance and create methods of foiling cyber attacks.

Of course, consumers need assurance you're doing the aforementioned tasks, but consumers also want to know what the healthcare organization will do in the event of a breach.

AllClear ID outlines the key strategies that will make a big impression on current and potential enrollees in a healthcare plan:

1. The most state-of-the-art IT practices must be brought on board so that all facets are secured, such as cloud services, computers and smartphones.
2. All levels of personnel must receive training to minimize errors and be able to comfortably discuss data security with customers
3. A stronger security system must be set in place for the business's computers and the employees' personal devices.
4. Adherence to HIPAA policies must be improved.
5. Potential customers must be made aware that the company offers an identity protection plan—as this will ease apprehension in the potential consumer.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to AllClear ID. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him knock'em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.