The Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network this week is notifying current and former patients of a data breach could have compromised their medical privacy.
A network security incident on Oct. 22 allowed an unauthorized party to gain access to the nonprofit's network, according to the notice.
Information that was potentially exposed to an unauthorized third party included first and last names, birth dates, medical record numbers, health insurance policy number and medical and treatment information.
The type of information at risk varied from person to person, the agency said.
The nonprofit is providing written notice to all those who were potentially affected, while assuring them that the network is now secure.
The agency hired a specialized third-party forensic incident response firm to help secure the network and investigate the breach.
The agency, formerly known as Heart of Texas Regional MHMR, provides an array of services to individuals and families coping with mental illness, intellectual and developmental disabilities, using state and federal funds.
In October it opened a $9.7 million, 27,500-square-foot diversion center on Imperial Drive to provide temporary housing and care for those suffering a mental health crisis.
Some Central Texas seniors have been receiving notices involving another healthcare data breach, unrelated to the Behavioral Health Network.
The U.S. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has been investigating a data breach from May 27-31 involving an unauthorized party to access the network of Maximus, a Medicare contractor.
That information could have included names, Social Security and tax identification numbers, birth dates, drivers license numbers, medical history information, healthcare provider and prescription information, and health insurance and benefits information.
In November, the federal agency and Maximum sent letters to 330,000 Medicare recipients whose personal information may have been compromised.
Those people are being advised on security steps to take and are being offered free credit monitoring.
Russell Devorsky, executive director of the Waco-based Heart of Texas Council of Governments, said anyone who gets a notice of the Medicare contractor breach should take it seriously.
Beneficiaries who are unsure about how to proceed may call the Heart of Texas Council of Governments at 254-292-1800 for clarification or assistance, he said.
If anyone calls claiming to be from Medicare and asks for identifying information, Devorsky said people should hang up.
This Cyber News was published on wacotrib.com. Publication date: Tue, 12 Dec 2023 00:59:08 +0000