DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

Will state attorneys general sue Anthem to provide more than two years' of credit support services?

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Dissent

There was a time when if an entity offered two years of free credit monitoring/credit restoration services to breach victims, that was considered unusual and commendable. And when the University of Maryland offered five years of credit monitoring services following a breach there, that was really surprising.

But as consumers have often noted, if your SSN and identity information are out there, you’re at risk for life. Criminals can just sit on the data until after the free credit monitoring expires and then begin using it with less risk. While your credit card number can expire or be replaced, your SSN is generally forever.

Could the Anthem breach may become a game-changer on remediation offered to breach victims? A number of state attorneys general are looking into the breach, and according to James Boffetti, Senior Assistant Attorney General  of New Hampshire and Chief of the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau, one issue they’re looking at is “the appropriateness of the remedies that Anthem is offering to people,” he said.

The Union Leader reports that Boffetti

 said company officials have been “very responsive” to investigators. And Anthem has a dedicated website to provide information to affected customers about protecting themselves from identity theft (anthemfacts.com).

But Boffetti said there is “a legitimate concern” about the length of protection Anthem is offering its customers. “I think that’s something that’s going to be discussed quite vigorously as this investigation goes on,” he said.

Although state attorneys general may pursue this aspect of the breach, I do not expect HHS/OCR to really do anything about the mitigation issue. HITECH provides a standard for mitigation, but no specifics when it comes to things like credit monitoring services. And, to date, I don’t think any of OCR’s less than two dozen resolution agreements involved mitigation. Last year, HHS/OCR was sent a complaint about alleged HIPAA and HITECH violations that does include a complaint about failure to adequately mitigate harm and the risk of harm. Whether OCR has done anything with that complaint is unknown to this complainant.

Related posts:

  • Transparency #FAIL: Why won’t Anthem/Elevance Health answer a simple question about breaches?
Category: Uncategorized

Post navigation

← OR: Leak of Kitzhaber’s emails, state audit intertwined
Medical College of Wisconsin notifies patients of HIPAA breach after document stolen from doctor's car →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Air Force Employee Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Disclose Unlawfully Classified National Defense Information
  • UK police arrest four in connection with M&S, Co-op and Harrods cyberattacks (1)
  • At U.S. request, France jails Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin on suspicion of ransomware conspiracy
  • Avantic Medical Lab hacked; patient data leaked by Everest Group
  • Integrated Oncology Network victim of phishing attack; multiple locations affected (2)
  • HHS’ Office for Civil Rights Settles HIPAA Privacy and Security Rule Investigation with Deer Oaks Behavioral Health for $225k and a Corrective Action Plan
  • HB1127 Explained: North Dakota’s New InfoSec Requirements for Financial Corporations
  • Credit reports among personal data of 190,000 breached, put for sale on Dark Web; IT vendor fined
  • Five youths arrested on suspicion of phishing
  • Russia Jailed Hacker Who Worked for Ukrainian Intelligence to Launch Cyberattacks on Critical Infrastructure

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • How to Build on Washington’s “My Health, My Data” Act
  • Department of Justice Subpoenas Doctors and Clinics Involved in Performing Transgender Medical Procedures on Children
  • Google Settles Privacy Class Action Over Period Tracking App
  • ICE Is Searching a Massive Insurance and Medical Bill Database to Find Deportation Targets
  • Franklin, Tennessee Resident Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison on Multiple Cyber Stalking Charges
  • On July 7, Gemini AI will access your WhatsApp and more. Learn how to disable it on Android.
  • German court awards Facebook user €5,000 for data protection violations

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.