The United States' second largest health insurer has been victimized by one of the largest data breaches ever suffered in the healthcare industry.
Anthem, formerly known as WellPoint, conceded late Wednesday that hackers had infiltrated a database containing records on as many as 80 million people.
In 2013, the company paid $1.7 million to resolve federal allegations of HIPAA violations that exposed protected health information of 612,402 people beginning in 2010.
The company has posted a statement and FAQ at anthemfacts.com for those seeking more information about the safety of their information. Their statement admits that the breach affected data on current and former members, including names, birthdates, social security numbers, street and email addresses, and employment and income data.
Anthem has committed to providing free credit repair and ID protection services for its members.
Visit our website to learn more about how companies can safeguard health information and comply with HIPAA protocols.
UPDATE: Authorities are reportedly investigating a lead that points at state-sponsored Chinese hackers as the responsible party for the Anthem breach.