Florida-based Unity Recovery Group is notifying patients of a HIPAA breach that involved disclosure of their protected healthy information to providers outside their network without prior written consent. The breach apparently began in April 2014 and continued for a full year, until it was discovered in April of this year, as their letter explains: We…
Category: Health Data
Medical Management LLC breach added to HHS breach tool
Quick update: The Medical Management LLC breach that affected patients at 40 of its clients has been added to HHS’s public breach tool. MML, which is headquartered in North Carolina, reported that 20,512 patients were affected or notified.
Beacon Health System notifies patients after phishing attack (update2)
The following press release was issued on May 22 by Beacon Health System. Note the attempt to characterize this as a “sophisticated” attack. That’s PR-speak for “our employees fell for it.” Of note, it appears that this attack went back to November 2013. Was there any audit between then and now that could have detected…
CareFirst breach demonstrates how assumptions hurt healthcare
Steve Ragan reports: Last week, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) reported a data breach that was initially discovered last year. When the incident was first noticed, the company assumed they had taken care of the problem – only to learn that wasn’t the case ten months later. The healthcare sector has taken center stage in the recent months…
ISIS hackers take over local healthcare website; company tries to assure patients their info is safe
James Ford reports: It’s a hazard that could affect anyone with an internet connection, and it comes courtesy of the terrorist group ISIS. Hundreds of people in the tri-state who logged on to their healthcare provider’s website Thursday night and Friday got a very unhealthy shock. An ISIS-supporting group had hacked in, leaving many people…
FL: Broward sheriff’s employee and Palmetto General Hospital employee among those indicted in fraud case (updated)
Erika Pesantes reports: A Broward sheriff’s community service aide is part of a group accused of stealing people’s identities and filing fraudulent federal tax returns on their behalf to rake in cash. Celia Cromer, 42, who was assigned to the regional traffic unit as a breath-alcohol technician in sheriff’s DUI cases, has been indicted on…