Privacy Incident Mass General Brigham

pPrivacy incidentppThis notice is from Mass General Brigham MGB to provide notification of an incident we recently became aware of that may have involved some individuals personal informationppWhat HappenedppOn April 4 2024 MGB discovered that the personal information of some of its patients may have been accessible to unauthorized individuals unrelated to MGB MGB immediately conducted an investigation into this incident ppMGB completed its investigation on May 28 2024 The investigation determined that two of MGBs employees may have allowed an unauthorized person to do some of the employees job duties and see some of its patients personal information between February 26 2024 and April 4 2024 This violated MGBs employment and privacy policies and was done without the knowledge or consent of MGB As a result the employees were immediately terminated  ppWhat Information Was InvolvedppThe information involved may have included name address medical record number date of birth email address phone number and health insurance policy number The clinical information involved may have included information about visits or admissions to an MGB facility such as date type location reason for visit and diagnosis  Some individuals also had Social Security number andor credit card number involved  ppSome of this information may be related to guarantors  A guarantor is the person who paid the bill for health care services  This incident did not involve bank account number for any individual  ppWhat We Are DoingppProtecting the privacy and security of its patients is a top priority for MGB MGB has taken several steps to help prevent incidents like this from occurring in the future Upon discovery MGB also immediately terminated the employees involved in the incident ppIn addition MGB continues to monitor and improve the safeguards it has in place to protect its patients information This includes enhancing its employee training and processes for the organizations security alert systemppMGB also is offering 24 months of free credit monitoring and other services through IDX to those individuals whose information was involved More information about IDX services is provided below ppWhat You Can Do ppIn addition to enrolling in credit monitoring below is a list of various steps that individuals can take to protect their personal information  ppFor More InformationppWe sincerely regret that this incident occurred Individuals who have any questions or would like further information about this matter can contact our dedicated privacy call center toll free at 18888269548 during the hours of 800 am to 900 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday except US holidays  ppREFERENCE GUIDEppReview Your Account Statements  Carefully review statements sent to you from healthcare providers as well as from your insurance company to ensure that all of your account activity is valid Carefully review your bank credit card and other account statements every month to ensure that your account activity is valid Report any questionable charges promptly to the provider or company with which you maintain the accountppProvide Any Updated Personal Information to Your Health Care Provider Your health care providers office will ask to see a photo ID to verify your identity  Please bring a photo ID with you to every appointment if possible Your providers office will also ask you to confirm your date of birth address telephone and other pertinent information so that we can make sure that all of your information is up to date  Please be sure and tell your providers office when there are any changes to your information Carefully reviewing this information with your providers office at each visit helps us to avoid problems and address them quickly should there be any discrepanciesppHow to Enroll in IDX Credit and Identity Monitoring Services  As a safeguard you may enroll at no cost to you in online credit monitoring and identity restoration services provided by IDX for two years To enroll in these services please call 18888269548ppThe monitoring included in the membership must be activated to be effective  You have until September 28 2024 to enroll in these services  Please note that credit monitoring services may not be available for individuals who have not established credit or an address in the United States or its territories or a valid Social Security number  Enrolling in this service will not affect your credit score  If you need assistance IDX will be able to assist youppWe encourage you to take advantage of these protections and remain vigilant for incidents of potential fraud and identity theft including regularly reviewing and monitoring your credit reports and account statements  ppSecurity Freeze A security freeze prevents credit reporting bureaus from releasing information in your credit file This can make it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name  Please be aware however that placing a security freeze on your credit report may delay approval of any requests you make for new loans credit mortgages or other services  ppYou have the right to request a security freeze for free  To place a security freeze on your file you must contact each of the three national credit reporting bureaus  You can contact them by phone online submission or mail  ppEquifax Information Services
PO Box 105788
Atlanta GA 30348
18006851111
wwwequifaxcompersonalcreditreportservicesppExperian
PO Box 9554
Allen TX 75013
18883973742
wwwexperiancomhelpppTransUnion
PO Box 2000
Chester PA 19016
18889098872
wwwtransunioncomcredithelpppWhen requesting a security freeze you will need to provide information to confirm your identity such as your name proof of your current address your prior address if youve moved in the last five years your date of birth Social Security number and other personal information       ppA security freeze request made by phone or online will be effective within one hour  Requests by mail take up to three business days from when the bureau gets it to be effective  After requesting a freeze you will be given a unique personal identification number PIN andor a password  Keep this in a safe place as you will need it to temporarily lift or fully remove the security freeze    ppThe freeze will remain until you ask the credit bureau to temporarily lift or fully remove it  If the request is made online or by phone a credit bureau must lift security freeze within one hour  If the request is made by mail then the bureau must lift the freeze no later than three business days after getting your request There is no charge for placing lifting or removing a security freezeppCheck Your Credit Report Check your credit report to ensure that all your information is correct  You can obtain a free credit report once per year by visiting wwwannualcreditreportcom or by calling 8773228228  If you notice any inaccuracies report the dispute right away to the relevant credit reporting bureau You can file a dispute on the relevant bureaus website or by contacting them at the number listed on your credit report You can also report any suspicious activity to your local law enforcement in which case you should request a copy of the police report and retain it for your recordsppFraud Alert You have the right to request that the credit bureaus place a fraud alert on your file  A fraud alert tells creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or increasing credit limits on your existing accounts  A fraud alert lasts for one year and is free of charge    ppYou need to contact only one of the three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert the one you contact is required by law to contact the other two  For Fraud Alerts use the credit bureau contact information provided above in the Security Freeze sectionppConsult the Federal Trade Commission For more guidance on steps you can take to protect your information you also can contact the Federal Trade Commission at httpsconsumerftcgovidentitytheftandonlinesecurity or at 877IDTHEFT 8774384338 or at the Identity Theft Clearinghouse Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington DC 20580pp 2024 Mass General Brigham Incorporated All Rights ReservedppWe use cookies and other tools to enhance your experience on our website and
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