Change Healthcare Notice of Breach

As you’re likely aware, Change Healthcare, one of the largest companies to connect doctors’ offices, pharmacies, and hospitals with health insurers, experienced a criminal cyberattack which impacted the healthcare and personal information of a large portion of Americans.

Recently, Change Healthcare formally declared a HIPAA privacy breach and began informing its customers (healthcare providers and insurers) that they intend to manage the notification of individuals.

We take this situation seriously at Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska and across the Blue Cross Blue Shield system and understand that individuals’ data may have been impacted due to their relationship with any entity that works directly with Change Healthcare, including providers, pharmacies, Blue plans, other insurers, or other healthcare clearinghouses.

What the Blues are doing

System wide, Blue Cross Blue Shield companies have agreed to delegate this notification to Change Healthcare.

Because of the unique size and scope of this incident, an individual’s information may have been affected because of more than one relationship, including one or more healthcare providers, pharmacies, or other insurers.

What you need to know

Premera didn’t receive a notification from Change Healthcare, however, some of our members’ information may be affected through other relationships, including one or more healthcare providers, pharmacies, or other insurers. This means your employees could receive a letter from Change Healthcare.

This is a unique situation, and Change Healthcare is unable to link members’ data to employer accounts. We’re not expecting you to receive formal notice from Change Healthcare.

What this means for your employees

Many individuals may get a letter from Change Healthcare in the coming months notifying them that their personal and/or health information has been compromised and offering two years of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection.

Individuals’ data may have been impacted due to their relationship with any entity that works directly with Change Healthcare, including providers, pharmacies, Blue plans, other insurers, or other healthcare clearinghouses.

For more information, read the Change Healthcare notice.