By now, most people are aware of a statement by AOL’s CEO Tim Armstrong that blamed employee benefits cuts on two “distressed babies” where the health plan had paid out one million dollars each for the babies’ care. His comments were disturbing on a number of levels, but did his statement violate HIPAA’s Privacy Rule?…
Category: Health Data
PA: Wind Gap Kmart reports prescription data breach following armed robbery
Jim Deegan reports: A gunman who robbed the Wind Gap Kmart last month left with more than cash. A bag stolen from a safe contained money and electronic media that backed up the store pharmacy’s computer system, the retailer said today. The media contained confidential information related to customer prescriptions: names, addresses, dates of birth, prescription numbers,…
Woman pleads guilty to forging letters to Alexian Brothers patients
Finally, this bizarre case appears to be over. Barbara Vitello reports that Michelle Morrison, formerly employed by Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital pleaded guilty to three separate counts of forgery and has been sentenced to 30 months probation. As a senior account representative at the Alexian Brothers psychiatric facility from November 2005 until July 2010, Morrison handled billing…
Traffic stop uncovers stolen personal information of hundreds of people
Call it a “hunch,” but I wouldn’t be surprised if this breach might belong on this blog. Associated Press reports: Authorities have recovered hundreds of pages of stolen personal information after pulling over a vehicle going 111 mph in a 65 mph zone near Farson in southwestern Wyoming. The Wyoming Highway Patrol says a trooper…
MN: Update to Olmstead Medical Center breach
The Post-Bulletin reports: Olmsted Medical Center is mailing letters today and Tuesday to about 500 former employees, alerting them to the possibility that their personal information might have been compromised in a data breach, according to OMC officials. Last week, OMC confirmed that current employee data had been taken. The ongoing investigation has not revealed…
Easter Seal Society of Superior California notifies parents that children's health information was on laptop stolen from employee's car (updated)
The Easter Seal Society of Superior California is first sending out notification letters concerning a laptop stolen on December 10. From their notification letter: On December 10, 2013, an Easter Seal Society of Superior California (“Easter Seals”) employee’s vehicle was broken into and a number of items, including a work-issued laptop computer, were stolen. Upon…