On August 14, 2023, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (“BCBSIL”) filed a notice with the Attorney General of Maine describing a third-party data breach that occurred at HCSC Insurance Services Company. In this notice, BCBSIL explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security Numbers, claim numbers, bank account numbers and medical service information. Upon completing its investigation, BCBSIL began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.
If you received a data breach notification from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the vendor data breach at BCBS of Illinois. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
What Caused the BCBS of Illinois Vendor Data Breach?
The BCBS of Illinois vendor data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, BCBSIL’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on June 23, 2023, BCBSIL learned that PHI belonging to certain customers was accessed by an unauthorized party on June 21, 2023, at a vendor of TMG Health. TMG Health provides third-party administrative services to Medicare enrollees of HCSC Insurance Services Company. HISC is contracted with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to offer this product.
After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, BCBS of Illinois reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, address, email address, phone number, date of birth, Social Security Number, claim number, bank account number and medical service information.
On August 14, 2023, BCBS of Illinois sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.
More Information About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is a health insurance company based out of Chicago, Illinois. BCBSIL is the largest provider of health insurance in Illinois, serving more than 8.9 million members across the state. BCBS of Illinois employs more than 1,507 people and generates approximately $1.4 billion in annual revenue.
