Millions of consumers are being notified that their Social Security numbers and other highly sensitive information were compromised when hackers breached the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care computer system earlier this year. The data breach lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. are investigating claims on behalf of Harvard Pilgrim policyholders and anyone else affected by the breach and want victims of the breach to understand their legal rights.
The sensitive personal data of millions of consumers has been compromised. Now, customers’ names, Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, health insurance account information, and protected health information may be in the hands of criminals. While there is no telling what hackers plan to do with the stolen data, hackers often use stolen information to steal consumers’ identities and commit other frauds against them.
On May 24, 2023, Harvard Pilgrim filed a notice of a data breach affecting consumers nationwide with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. The company also posted a “Notice of Data Security Incident” on its website, which largely remains down in the wake of the cyberattack. The Notice explains that the data breach stems from a ransomware attack impacting the IT systems that support Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Commercial and Medicare Advantage Stride℠ plans.
While the Harvard Pilgrim breach affected individuals who obtained insurance policies through the company, it is possible that your information may have been compromised even if you are unsure if you have ever owned a Harvard Pilgrim insurance policy.
According to the notice, the data breach affected 2,550,922 people across the United States, most of which reside in New England.
The ransomware attack occurred on March 28, 2023, and lasted until April 17, 2023, the day after Harvard Pilgrim discovered the attack. During that time, hackers had access to the confidential information of millions of consumers who had previously provided Harvard Pilgrim with their information. On May 24, 2023, Harvard Pilgrim confirmed that information belonging to 2,550,922 people was accessible to hackers as a result of the breach.
The list of sensitive information that was exposed includes consumers’:
- Names,
- Social Security numbers,
- Physical addresses,
- Phone numbers,
- Dates of birth,
- Health insurance account information, and
- Protected health information (“PHI”).
If you receive a data breach notice from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, you are one of over 2.5 million people who could now be at risk of identity theft—and the devastating financial and legal consequences that go along with it.
In the company’s data breach letter, Harvard Pilgrim offers affected consumers complimentary credit monitoring and identity protection services through IDX. Patients who receive a data breach notification letter from Harvard Pilgrim should enroll in this service immediately. However, they should know that credit monitoring is not sufficient to protect them from the risks of a data breach.
What should you do if you receive a Harvard Pilgrim data breach letter? Individuals who receive a data breach letter from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care should take steps to protect themselves. (See our Guide for Victims of Data Breach for more details at https://www.myinjuryattorney.com/consumer-privacy-data-breach-lawyers/if-your-information-has-been-compromised-in-a-data-breach/.) Additionally, victims should consider contacting a data breach attorney immediately. Those consumers who receive a data breach letter from Harvard Pilgrim may be entitled to financial compensation.
If you wish to discuss this data security incident, or if you have any questions regarding your rights following the Harvard Pilgrim data breach, please contact Console & Associates, P.C. at (866) 778-5500. Interested parties and potential plaintiffs can also learn more about this data breach and potential lawsuit at https://www.myinjuryattorney.com/harvard-pilgrim-health-care-data-breach-alert/. Anyone who has received a Notice of Data Breach letter may contact the firm to learn more about their rights.
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