From CalOptima’s web site:
ORANGE, Calif. (October 23, 2009) – CalOptima has identified the potential loss of past medical claims information for approximately 68,000 of its members that was stored on electronic media devices.
CalOptima’s claims scanning vendor sent the electronic media devices to CalOptima through the U.S. Postal service by certified mail. On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, CalOptima discovered the apparent loss of the devices when the external packaging materials were delivered by the U.S. Postal Service without the box containing the devices. CalOptima immediately initiated an investigation to determine the location of the devices, including the possibility that the separated box containing the devices may have been forwarded by the U.S. Post Office to another U.S. Post Office facility. On Wednesday, October 14, 2009, CalOptima notified state and federal agencies of the potential loss of the devices, and on the following day, posted an alert for public notification on its Web site when it became evident the devices might not be located. CalOptima, its vendor, and the U.S. Postal Service are continuing to search for the box containing the devices. Claims information contained on the devices includes member names, home addresses, dates of birth, medical procedure codes, diagnosis codes and member identification numbers, including some Social Security numbers. The devices contained only copies of historical processed claims information. CalOptima has identified the affected members and is preparing to send them notice letters. For more information, CalOptima members should call CalOptima at 1-800-509-4225.
According to CalOptima’s web site, their network of doctors and hospitals includes more than 5,000 primary care doctors and specialists and 24 hospitals serving nearly 380,000 members.
Hat-tip, Joseph Goedert of Health Data Management
Update of 10-29: see Comment from cheat-seeker, below, indicating that the disks were recovered.
This matter was successfully resolved. From the Healthy Living blog at today’s Orange County Register:
Lost personal information of Medi-Cal members is found
October 29th, 2009, 6:00 am by Courtney Perkes
CalOptima, the county’s Medi-Cal provider, has found lost electronic claims records that contain identifying information belonging to as many as 68,000 members.
Discs of data were lost two weeks ago after being sent certified mail by CalOptima’s scanning vendor. When only the packaging arrived, but not the box with the discs, CalOptima notified the state. On Wednesday, the U.S. Postal Service located the discs in Atlanta, said Margaret Tatar, director of public affairs.
The discs were not password protected, but it appears no one accessed the confidential information, Tatar said.
CalOptima had planned to send letters notifying members of the lost information and offering them credit monitoring services. Anyone with questions should call 800-509-4225 or visit http://www.caloptima.org
The medical record data for adults and children included names, addresses, birthdays and some Social Security numbers.
Thanks!