Attorney General Aaron M. Frey is sharing consumer protection reminders and raising awareness about the availability of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services following Change Healthcare’s February data breach. In April, Attorney General Frey joined other attorneys general in sending a letter to UnitedHealth Group, Inc. — the nation’s largest health insurer and the parent company of Change Healthcare — urging the corporation to take more meaningful action to better protect providers, pharmacies, and patients harmed by the recent breach.
Change Healthcare, a unit of UnitedHealth, is the nation’s biggest electronic data clearinghouse. Change Healthcare's technological infrastructure is used by tens of thousands of providers, pharmacies, and insurers to verify insurance, confirm pre-authorization of procedures or services, exchange insurance claim data, and perform other administrative tasks essential to the delivery of health care.
This was an unprecedented data breach. The February cyberattack interrupted operations for thousands of doctors’ offices, hospitals, and pharmacies. It also resulted in Americans’ sensitive health and personal data being leaked onto the dark web —a hidden portion of the Internet where cyber criminals buy, sell, and track personal information. The actual number and identity of affected patients are currently unknown.
Change Healthcare has publicly stated that the data breach could impact up to 1/3 of all Americans. Typically, when there is a data breach impacting Maine residents, consumers receive an individualized letter or email if their data was impacted. However, Change Healthcare has not yet provided individual notice to consumers. Given the delay between the data breach and notification to those impacted, Attorney General Frey is publicizing not just the breach, but also resources, including the offer that Change Healthcare has provided to the public.
“Consumers cannot afford to wait when the nation’s largest electronic data clearinghouse is unable to protect sensitive personal data and then is unable to notify affected individuals,” said Attorney General Frey. “If consumers believe their personal data may have been exposed in this breach, I strongly encourage them to sign up for the credit monitoring being offered.”
Change Healthcare is offering ALL Maine residents who believe they may have been impacted free credit monitoring and identity theft protections for two years. The dedicated website and call center will not be able to provide individuals details about whether their data was impacted but can guide them through getting set up for the free credit monitoring and identity theft protections. Since Change Healthcare has not yet provided notice to individuals and the impact is very significant, the safest course of action is for everyone should assume that their information has been involved.
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