How frustrating for everyone: St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore learned that 40 of its physicians had become victims of ID theft. Hapless victims had their names and Social Security numbers used to create wireless telephone accounts that they knew nothing about until they started receiving overdue notices from creditors. But despite its best efforts to…
Category: Health Data
HHS updates breach tool (update 3)
HHS added 10 incidents to its breach tool in its most recent update. Somewhat depressingly, five of the incidents involved the theft of unencrypted laptops. In terms of newly revealed details on known incidents, the University of Miami reported that it had notified 64, 846 patients of the insider breach involving theft and possible sale of…
Hearing scheduled in Sutter data breach class action
Kathy Roberton reports: A hearing is scheduled in Sacramento on Sept. 27 on a class action against Sutter Health over last year’s theft of a personal computer that held data on 4.24 million patients. Twelve lawsuits filed over the incident have been coordinated in Sacramento County Superior Court. Read more on Sacramento Business Journal. The Sutter Health…
Blue Cross Blue Shield discloses employee data breach
Julie M. Donnelly reports: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has disclosed that a contracted vendor compromised an employee’s data at the state’s largest health insurer. The health plan said its cyber-security systems were not breached, no medical information was involved,and no health plan members’ personal information was compromised. The health plan issued a statement…
Medical Data Breach Highlights Need For Encryption
Michelle McNickle reports: The recent data breach at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Associates once again screams the message: Encryption, encryption, encryption!The provider has agreed to pay a $1.5 million fine to theDepartment of Health and Human Services (HHS), after allegations were made that Mass. Eye and Ear failed to…
Cabinet for Health and Family Services Notifies Clients of Potential HIPAA Breach
Press release from the Kentucky (state) Cabinet for Health and Family Services: The Cabinet for Health and Family Services is informing approximately 2,500 clients by letter of a possible employee e-mail account breach that may have resulted in the unintentional release of information held by the Cabinet’s Department for Community Based Services (DCBS). In July,…