Medicaid Records Stolen for 182,000 Beneficiaries

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Security Shredding & Storage News. June 2012

Salt Lake City, UT – Hackers who broke into Utah state computers stole the medical records of 182,000 beneficiaries of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, with data including some 25,000 Social Security Numbers of children who have received public assistance and other information. Each of the 25,000 files stolen contained multiple records. A new server at the Health Department had the usual multiple layers of security, but the new password wasn’t adequately secure.

Utah’s attack probably came from Eastern Europe, do to the IP code used. The server was taken offline when the state’s security software recognized the problem. Claims come from clinics throughout Utah, and the breach extends from recent to year-old patients, due to filing schedules.

Clients whose information was stolen will be alerted, starting with those whose Social Security Numbers were taken, and they will receive free credit monitoring for a year. A hotline has been created for concerned clients to call, and Medicaid clients are warned to monitor credit reports, bank accounts and other areas as well as to alert credit bureaus. Because so many victims are children, the state is working with the credit bureau TransUnion so children’s Social Security numbers can be registered and their credit frozen until they are of age. Victims can also file affidavits that will reduce the amount of time that identity victims need to spend fixing their credit.