So far this year, the Los Angeles Times (8/22, Zamosky) reported, “there have been more than 32 health data breaches as a result of hacking, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.” These breaches often disclose personal information including Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and patients’ health records. According to the Times, “experts say” the biggest concern for affected consumers is medical identity theft. A recent study by the Ponemon Institute found that medical identity theft “affected 2.3 million adults in 2014, an increase of roughly 22% since 2013.”
Related Links:
— “Who else has accessed your medical data?,” Lisa Zamosky, Los Angeles Times, August 21, 2015.