The MNsure employee who erroneously attached a spread sheet with 1,587 insurance agents’ names and Social Security numbers to an e-mail to one insurance agent is no longer working for MNsure. The Associated Press’s coverage adds that the employee violated internal policy by storing unencrypted personal information about Minnesota insurance agents on a computer desktop. The agency…
Commentary: Are analyses of breaches in the healthcare sector underestimating the insider threat?
Another healthcare provider has pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud. The North Carolina Department of Justice reports that Dr. Francis Bald, a North Carolina dentist, has pleaded guilty to charges related to falsely billing Medicaid for dental and oral surgery services. The fraud was uncovered by an observant patient who read his Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statement…
HHS issues guidance on refill reminders and other Rx adherence communications under HITECH Act Omnibus Rule
September 19, 2013 Today, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued guidance on how the changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule’s marketing provisions under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act and Omnibus Rule apply to refill reminders and other communications about drugs or biologics currently being prescribed for individuals. …
Barclays Bank Cyber Theft: 8 Arrested For Allegedly Hacking Computer System, Stealing $2 Million
Eight men have been arrested on suspicion of stealing 1.3 million pounds ($2 million) from a Barclays bank branch by tapping into its computers, British police said Friday. […] Detective Supt. Terry Wilson said one of the arrested men is the “Mr. Big” of British cybercrime. Police suspect that in both cases a gang member…
Audit of State University of New York at Albany reveals to-be-surplussed devices certified as “clean” still contained PII
I periodically post audits from the NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office pertaining to data protection. A recently released audit of SUNY-Albany reminds us that we need to continue to be concerned about inadequately wiped devices or drives that are to be surplussed. The audit period covered January – May 2012, and during that time, SUNY-Albany…
Apple now asking app developers to provide sources of medical information
Tom Lewis reports: Recently there have been signs Apple is taking the reliability and content of medical apps sold through the App Store more seriously. iMedicalApps recently reported that medical apps containing drug dosages were being rejected from the App Store. Further information has now become available that suggests Apple is now looking to ensure the information contained…