Aetna Letter Revealed Illinois Patients' HIV Status

A group of people in at least nine states — including Illinois — say information in a letter sent to them by Aetna revealed their HIV status. According to a demand sent on behalf of the patients, a notice containing instructions for filling HIV medication prescriptions was clearly visible through the window on the letter's envelope. The patients are demanding that the company stop the practice, as it violates state and federal privacy laws.

The letter in question was sent on July 28, and the company was first made aware on July 31 that in some cases, personal health information was visible through the window of the envelope used to send the letter. After learning of the issue, Aetna investigated and found that the vendor handling the mailing had used a window envelope, and "in some cases, the letter could have shifted within the envelope in a way that allowed personal health information to be viewable through the window," Aetna said in a letter to affected customers that was obtained by Patch.

In a press release, the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania said the letters were sent to customers currently taking medications for HIV treatment as well as for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PReP), which helps prevent a person from acquiring HIV. A demand letter sent on behalf of the individuals who contacted various nonprofits included a photo of a sealed and redacted envelope sent to a customer in Brooklyn, New York.

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Photo by Jessica Hill/Associated Press