Posted on 08/17/2006 3:51:05 PM PDT by APRPEH
NASHVILLE (AP) -- HCA Inc. (HCA) said 10 computers containing Medicare and Medicaid billing information and records of employees and physicians were stolen from one of the company's regional offices.
HCA officials won't say where or when the theft occurred because they believe that might help the thieves, who authorities believe were after computer hardware, not personal identity information.
"We don't want to tip them off they may have information that they might use to perpetuate identity theft," said HCA spokesman Jeff Prescott.
The Nashville-based for-profit hospital operator reports on its Web site that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident.
The computers held thousands of files on Medicare and Medicaid patients treated at HCA hospitals in Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas or Washington state between 1996 and 2006.
The machines contained some patient names and Social Security numbers but no addresses or dates of birth. Prescott said on Thursday the company had also discovered that the names and Social Security numbers of about 7,000 employees and physicians in four states - Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana and Texas - were on the computers.
He said the company is notifying those affected by letter.
(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...
Identity theft information can be found on my FR profile page at the bottom.
HCA is in a heap o' trouble if the data aren't encrypted.
Looks like the Democrats are readying their absentee ballot lists.........
"in a heap o' trouble"
LOL like HIPPA trouble? Of course, I work for HCA.
ping
Long ago, in a galaxy far away, I sold a bunch of computer stuff to HCA. For a while they were my company's biggest customer. No one ever walked off with those computers. Laptops they were not.
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