Blog

A Sickness in the Healthcare System: Weak Protections for Patient Identities

| IDShield
weak-protection-for-patient-identities

This week, we learned healthcare hackers have claimed 10 million more victims – this time, by breaking into the network of New York health insurance giant Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. According to Reuters, the hack occurred in December of 2013 but the company did not notice the breach until August 5, 2015.

"Unfortunately, these crimes often go undetected by the companies until it is way too late to protect victims,” said Jeff Bell, CEO of LegalShield, a privately-held company that has provided legal protection to millions of people for over 40 years and identity theft protection for 15 years. LegalShield offers identity theft services to the general public via IDShield.

“We’ve seen time and again it is impossible to fully protect or prevent hacks and breaches. The key is to quickly and efficiently restore those taken identities,” Bell said.

Since credit card companies and banks have made great strides in strengthening their security systems and enhancing protections for credit cards, hackers have turned their sites to more vulnerable and lucrative targets: the nation’s less optimally guarded healthcare institutions. Two other recent hacks include Anthem Inc., the nation’s number two insurance provider that had 80 million patient records compromised, and Community Health Systems, which had 4.5 million records exposed by hackers.

“This is why many security experts have dubbed 2015 ‘The Year of the Healthcare Hack,’ says Bell.

A survey of health providers published last year by the Ponemon Institute, a privacy and data research firm, reveals that roughly 90 percent of health care organizations have experienced a data breach in the past two years. Some were caused by employee mistakes or glitches with computer systems while others were criminal.

WHY ARE HACKERS TARGETING HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS?

    1.    Financial gain. Sometimes they seek to steal account information that links to databases containing banking and credit card information; other times they go after patient records only. Anthem Inc. reports their financial databases were unaffected. One security expert told The New York Times the stolen information gets auctioned off on the black market. While credit card numbers are typically sold for around $3.50, one patient's medical records recently brought $251. Credit card data is easily destroyed and regenerated. Not so with personal medical records, which contain a trove of information.

    2.    Medical benefits. A growing number of hackers sell insurance company identification cards to people seeking free medical or dental procedures. Although doctors' offices and surgery centers require photo identification along with an insurance card, most hacker rings have no trouble generating one. The legitimate insurance cardholder typically does not discover the theft until the insurance company mails the Explanation of Benefits and copay bill days or weeks after the procedure.

    3.    Traditional identity theft. Hackers can use medical and financial information to build new identities for customers who wish to apply for passports or visas and travel the world anonymously.

    4.    Espionage. Some hackers may be interested in connecting procedure codes to patient ID numbers, and then on to real names and Social Security numbers, to gather sensitive health information. Anthem Inc. reports its hackers absconded with names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, and email addresses, as well as work and income data, prompting security experts to wonder if blackmailing high-profile government officials or business leaders with embarrassing or sensitive health information was the goal.

IDENTIFYING THE HACKERS

In the coming days and months, investigators will draw conclusions about whether these hacks were the brainchild of a hacking gang or a foreign government. Until then, consumers should take the appropriate steps to protect themselves and their families.

 

Modal Associate Startup Plan
X
Associate Start Up

LegalShield offers motivated individuals a unique program designed to deliver their dreams. Join our community and its mission to empower and protect by providing affordable legal access for all. Start your own part-time business, and take control of your future.

  • 1 month of LegalShield Advantage state of the art marketing tools
  • In-depth live training classes taught by LegalShield’s best of the best
  • Exclusive sales tools to build and manage your business on-the-go
  • A community of like-minded entrepreneurs to help you exceed your goals
Are you registering as an individual or a business?
Requirements for businesses.


Have you or someone who may write business under this Associate Agreement ever been convicted of a felony, had a professional license revoked or have unresolved pending arrests and/or charges?
See our requirements for associates.
Modal Business Builder Plan 2021
X

Comprehensive identity theft protection and credit monitoring.

$34.95/month

Start your own part-time business, and take control of your future.

$49.00 one-time fee
Modal Commercial Drivers Legal Plan
X

Provides representation and support for a multitude of commercial driving issues to help keep you protected and on the road.

  • Covers member & spouse
  • Traffic Accident Representation
  • Moving Violations Defense
Choose a Plan:
$32.95/month

Tragic accident representation, license reinstatement, moving violations, DOT and non-moving violations, property damage collection, personal injury collection.

Modal IdShield Plan
X
IDShield Plan

Offering comprehensive identity theft monitoring and identity restoration services.

Choose a Plan:

TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax credit monitoring that covers you, your spouse or domestic partner and up to 10 dependent children.

$29.95/month

Transunion credit monitoring that covers you, your spouse or domestic partner and up to 10 dependent children.

TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax credit monitoring that covers one individual.

Transunion credit monitoring that covers one individual.

Modal IDShield Business Plan
X

IDShield Business Essentials

Protects up to 6 URLs and/or public IP addresses

$79.95

IDShield Business Plus

Protects up to 12 URLs and/or public IP addresses

$149.95
Modal Legalshield Plan
Licecnse Associate Required
X

Associate Name
Associate phone number.
Associate's city
Modal Small Business Plan NEW
X

Small Business Legal Essentials

In-state phone consultation, 10 phone calls or letters and 10 document reviews a year, 5 collection notices a month, 3 half-hour consultative calls, and a 25% discount on trademarking, contract drafting, and more.
$49.00/month

Small Business Legal Plus

Unlimited interstate phone consultation, 20 phone calls or letters and 20 document reviews a year, 10 collection notices per month, 5 half hour consultative calls, 25 hours IRS assistance, one trademarking filing per year and more.
$99.00/month

Small Business Legal Pro

Unlimited interstate phone consultation, 40 phone calls or letters and 40 document reviews a year, 15 collection notices per month, 5 half hour consultative calls, 50 hours IRS assistance, one trademarking filing per year and more.
$169.00/month
Small Business Supplements:
Is this a publicly traded or non-profit company?
This plan does not cover publicly traded companies. Please call 1-855-387-6320 for more information