(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Following a data breach affecting at least 4.5 million patients nationwide, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is encouraging all Ohio residents who were referred to or received services from physicians affiliated with Community Health Systems, Inc. (CHS) in the last five years to review their credit reports and accounts for possible unauthorized activity.
Tens of thousands of Ohioans may have been affected by the breach. Affected individuals can take advantage of one year of free credit monitoring, which CHS is offering.
“We encourage Ohioans to check their mail for information about this breach,” Attorney General DeWine said. “Affected individuals should be receiving a letter, if they haven’t already, and they should follow the instructions in that letter. Ohioans also can contact my office for information about data breaches and identity theft.”
On August 19, 2014, Community Health Systems Professional Services Corporation, commonly known by its trade names CHS and Community Health Systems, publicly reported a data breach affecting at least 4.5 million patients nationwide.
In July 2014, CHS confirmed its computer network was the target of an external criminal cyber-attack in April and June 2014, by which hackers gained access to patient names, addresses, birthdates, telephone numbers, and social security numbers.
The company has said that to the best of CHS’s knowledge at this time, the stolen data did not include patient credit card, medical, or clinical information. CHS has indicated the data breach occurred in physician practices affiliated with the company, not in its hospitals.
CHS recently sent letters to individuals whose information was taken in this cyber-attack informing them about the data breach and how to enroll in free identity theft protection and credit monitoring services. Affected consumers can expect to receive a notification letter from CHS in the near future. If a consumer actually becomes a victim of identity theft because of the breach, restoration services will be provided free of charge.
Consumers with questions or concerns about this cyber-attack are encouraged to contact 1-855-205-6951 toll-free.
In 2012, Attorney General DeWine created an Identity Theft Unit within his Consumer Protection Section to help identity theft victims rectify the effects of identity theft. For more information on that program or to get help, Ohioans should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at 800-282-0515 or www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.
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Media Contacts
Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Kate Hanson: 614-466-3840