California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a consumer alert to share resources and raise awareness about free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services available following Change Healthcare’s February data breach. In April, Attorney General Bonta joined 22 attorneys general in sending a letter to UnitedHealth Group, Inc., the parent company of Change Healthcare, urging the corporation to take more meaningful action to protect those affected by the breach.
“The cyberattack against Change Healthcare put the personal information of far too many consumers at risk,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Alongside attorneys general across the country, I urge California consumers to take advantage of the resources available to protect them from identity theft and more, including by enrolling in the two years of free credit monitoring and identity theft protections. My office is committed to protecting the rights of patients and consumers, including those affected by data breaches.”
Change Healthcare, a unit of UnitedHealth, is a major electronic data clearinghouse used by tens of thousands of providers, pharmacies, and insurers for various administrative tasks essential to healthcare delivery. The February cyberattack disrupted operations for numerous medical facilities and resulted in sensitive health and personal data being leaked onto the dark web.
UnitedHealth has stated that up to one-third of all Americans could be impacted by this breach. Typically, California residents receive individualized notifications if their data is compromised; however, Change Healthcare has not yet provided such notices. Consequently, everyone is advised to utilize the free resources available.
Change Healthcare offers two years of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection through IDX. These services are accessible to all California residents who believe they may have been impacted by the cyberattack. A dedicated website (changecybersupport.com) and call center (1-888-846-4705) have been set up for assistance.
Consumers should watch for warning signs indicating misuse of their medical information such as bills for unreceived services or errors in their Explanation of Benefits statements. Other signs include calls from debt collectors about unknown medical debts or denial of insurance coverage due to inaccurate medical records.
For those concerned about their data but preferring not to use Change Healthcare’s resources, freezing their credit with each bureau—Experian (1-888-397-3742), Equifax (1-888-766-0008), TransUnion (1-800-680-7289)—is another option.
Attorney General Bonta collaborated with a bipartisan group of attorneys general nationwide in disseminating these consumer protection resources.
---