MA: Blue Cross physicians warned of data breach

[lyger <lyger () attrition org>]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/10/03/blue_cross_physicians_warned_of_data_breach/

The largest health insurer in Massachusetts is warning roughly 39,000 
physicians and other health care providers in the state that personal 
information, including Social Security numbers, may have been compromised 
after a laptop containing the data was stolen in August from an employee 
of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's national headquarters in 
Chicago.

The breach involves "tens of thousands." of physicians nationwide, 
although the precise number is unclear, according to a national Blue 
Cross-Blue Shield spokesman. Thirty-nine affiliates feed information about 
providers into a database maintained by the association.s national 
headquarters.

Massachusetts doctors were not notified by letter until yesterday, because 
state Blue Cross-Blue Shield officials said they did not at first know 
what kind of data were on the stolen laptop. They said the data did not 
contain any information about patients or personal health records.

[...]
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