In the wake of a data breach at Change Healthcare, one of the nation’s largest health care companies, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said on Wednesday that all affected residents can now access free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services for two years.
The breach, which occurred in February, has yet to prompt Change Healthcare, which is part of UnitedHealthcare, to individually notify affected consumers or publicize the available protective services, according to the attorney general’s office.
The data breach, according to Henry, involved sensitive personal information and possibly impacts millions of Americans.
“This data breach affected an estimated millions of Americans, and for the company to stay silent and minimize the widespread consumer impact is totally unacceptable,” Henry said.
Change Healthcare, a major electronic data clearinghouse, plays a pivotal role in the healthcare system and handles administrative tasks for thousands of providers, pharmacies, and insurers. The cyberattack disrupted operations extensively, affecting hospitals, doctors’ offices, and pharmacies nationwide and led to the leak of Americans’ sensitive health and personal data onto the dark web, officials said.
Despite not providing individual notifications, Change Healthcare has acknowledged the breach could impact up to one-third of all Americans.
The company operates a dedicated website and call center, but they do not offer information on whether an individual’s data was specifically breached. They are, however, equipped to help individuals enroll in the free services.
Earlier in April, Henry and other state attorneys general penned a letter to UnitedHealth Group, urging the parent company of Change Healthcare to take more action in safeguarding the information of providers, pharmacies, and patients impacted by the breach.
Given the scope of the incident and the lack of direct communication from Change Healthcare, Henry advised all Pennsylvanians to assume their information might have been compromised and to take advantage of the offered protections.
Below is more information on how to take part in the monitoring:
- For information visit changecybersupport.com.
- To enroll in credit monitoring through IDX use the link at changecybersupport.com or call 1-888-846-4705.
- For additional support from Change Healthcare call 1-866-262-5342.
Consumers should be aware of potential warning signs that someone is using their medical information. The signs include:
- A bill from their doctor for services they did not receive;
- Errors in their Explanation of Benefits statement like services they never received or prescription medications they do not take;
- A call from a debt collector about a medical debt they do not owe;
- Medical debt collection notices on their credit report that they do not recognize;
- A notice from their health insurance company indicating they have reached their benefit limit; or
- They are denied insurance coverage because their medical records show a pre-existing condition they do not have.
If consumers are concerned that their data may have been impacted but prefer not to use the free resources provided by Change Healthcare, they can also consider freezing their credit.
