View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2015/11/15/388996.htm
The Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) reported that it mistakenly allowed the Social Security numbers of some health care providers to be posted publicly.
The DOI said it learned on Nov. 9 of an inadvertent data disclosure involving health care providers’ Social Security Numbers (SSNs) through a constituent complaint. The agency reported the event on Nov. 13.
DOI said it had provided unredacted filings from Blue Cross Blue Shield to the System for Electronic Rate and Form Filing (SERFF) database, which posted the information on its publically available website.
Upon learning of the disclosure, DOI took immediate action to remove personal information from the publicly available website.
The Department also reviewed all other filings similar in nature to the BCBS filings and determined no other personal information was disclosed.
The security of personal information of Illinois health providers is a priority and notification of this disclosure is being furnished to all persons involved, the department said.
The agency said it is taking steps to prevent future disclosures, including a review of DOI’s procedure for posting information to publically accessible databases.
Source: Illinois DOI