[BreachExchange] MINNESOTA-BASED HEALTH PLAN SUFFERS BREACH IMPACTING MORE THAN 65K INDIVIDUALS

[Destry Winant]

https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/technology/minnesota-based-health-plan-suffers-breach-impacting-more-65k-individuals

On December 30, SCHA contacted potentially impacted individuals for
notification and offered complimentary credit monitoring and identity
protection services.

A version of this article was first published January 19, 2021, by
HCPro's Revenue Cycle Advisor, a sibling publication to HealthLeaders.

South County Health Alliance (SCHA), a health plan based out of
Owatonna, Minnesota, reported a security breach on December 31
affecting 66,874 individuals, according to the Office for Civil Rights
(OCR) breach report.

In a security notice posted on its website, SCHA said on September 14
it discovered that unauthorized access to an employee email account
had occurred in late June.

SCHA engaged cybersecurity experts to assist with its investigation,
which found that personal and protected health information (PHI)
belonging to members may have been accessible in the account.

Based on the investigation, the following information may have been involved:

Address
Date of death
Diagnostic or treatment information
Health insurance information
Medicare and Medicaid number
Name
Provider name
Treatment cost information
Social Security number

On December 30, SCHA contacted potentially impacted individuals for
notification and offered complimentary credit monitoring and identity
protection services.

The organization also set up a toll-free call center to answer
questions about the incident and help impacted members enroll in their
complimentary services.