In Case You Missed It: Anthem Blue Cross Hacked, Former and Present Customers at Risk

Editor’s note: In case you missed Patch’s original story Feb. 5 about the security breach affecting millions of Anthem Blue Cross customers nationwide, including many in Connecticut, we’re providing it here for you again.

Beneath the original story, we’ve added some more recent information on what help Anthem is offering present and former customers to protect themselves.

Connecticut’s attorney general and the state Insurance Department are offering advice to the state’s customers of Anthem Insurance on Thursday after a security breach left customers vulnerable to potential identity theft.

Both current and former insurance enrollees of the company may have been affected by the security breach.

What Seems to Have Been Hacked

Anthem CEO Joseph R. Swedish issued a statement to its customers on its website in which said, in part:

“Anthem was the target of a very sophisticated external cyber attack. These attackers gained unauthorized access to Anthem’s IT system and have obtained personal information from our current and former members such as their names, birthdays, medical IDs/social security numbers, street addresses, email addresses and employment information, including income data.

“Based on what we know now, there is no evidence that credit card or medical information, such as claims, test results or diagnostic codes were targeted or compromised.”

How Secure Was Anthem’s Database?

Regarding Anthem’s security procedures, Swedish said, “Safeguarding your personal, financial and medical information is one of our top priorities, and because of that, we have state-of-the-art information security systems to protect your data. ”

According to an Associated Press report, however, Mark Bower, a vice president of the cyber-security firm Voltage Security said health insurance companies generally have less security than major retail firms have now instituted after major hacking incidents. He said hackers are attracted to insurance companies as they are to any “low-hanging fruit.”

Anthem, based in Indianapolis, is the second-largest health insurance company in the nation, with 37 million customers and a database with information on 80 million people, including former customers, according to the AP report.

Connecticut Officials React

George Jepsen, the attorney general, and the state Department of Consumer Protection have asked Anthem for more information on the security breach. According to a news release from the Attorney General’s Office, ”Jepsen asked that all affected patients in Connecticut be provided with two years of credit monitoring services, identity theft insurance, and reimbursement for the costs associated with placing and lifting security freezes.”

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Jepsen said his office opened an investigation into Anthem’s security procedures Wednesday afternoon, immediately after hearing about it.

“This data breach is very troubling,” said Consumer Protection Commissioner Jonathan Harris in the same news release. “Anthem, like all health insurance companies, has access to extremely sensitive health and personal information and therefore has the immense responsibility to protect that information from unlawful disclosure. That there is any vulnerability in the corporation’s record management system is cause for real concern and must be corrected.”

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself

From a separate Connecticut Insurance Department news release:

Anthem has set up a special website – www.anthemfacts.com – to answer customer questions. Customers can also call Anthem’s special toll-free number 877-263-7995. The company will be contacting current and former customers directly affected and will be offering free credit monitoring and identity protection services.

The following is general information from the Department of Consumer Protection regarding identity theft and ways to safeguard your information:

• How to Find Out if You’re an ID Theft Victim
• What to Do If It Happens To You
• Fact sheet – Protect Your Good Name Against Identity Theft
• More identity theft resources

This Consumer Alert will be updated as more details become available.

Anyone with questions or concerns about this or any insurance matter should contact the Connecticut Insurance Department’s Consumer Affairs Unit.

NEW: What Anthem Is Doing to Help You Protect Yourself

This information is from a news release issued Tuesday, Feb. 24, by Gov. Dannel Malloy’s office:

Attorney General Jepsen said: “[O]nly a fraction of Anthem’s current and past customers have signed up for the protections the company is offering,” and he urged more to do so.

“In addition to getting the free protection, consumers can get information on the Anthem breach and other ways to protect themselves against identity theft and fraud on the DCP website,” Commissioner Harris said. “Anyone with questions about identity theft, or anyone who suspects that someone is trying to steal their identity or use information from the Anthem data breach to commit fraud, should not hesitate to contact us at dcp.frauds@ct.gov or 1-800-842-2649.” [...]

The news release, citing information provided by Anthem and All Clear ID, Anthem is offering two years of free services to customers and former customers, including:

• “Identity Theft Repair Assistance: Should fraud occur, an investigator will do the work to recover financial losses, restore the affected consumer’s credit, and ensure the affected consumer’s identity is returned to its proper condition. This assistance will cover any fraud that has occurred since the data breach first began.
• “Credit Monitoring: Credit monitoring alerts consumers when banks and creditors use their identity to open new credit accounts. Credit monitoring services also come with additional layers of protection in the form of $1 million identity theft insurance policy. The policy has broad benefits backed by a financially solid insurance company and is another option consumers can consider.
• “Child Identity Protection: Child-specific identity protection services are available to any affected consumers with children insured through their Anthem plan.”

Anthem customers and former customers can enroll online. Anyone who doesn’t have Internet access or who prefers to get in touch by telephone can call 877-263-7995.