Beware of scams
The Kansas Insurance Department is looking at the effect of possible data-hacking of health insurance policyholders in Kansas as a result of a cyberattack that targeted Anthem Inc., according to Kansas Commissioner of Insurance Ken Selzer.
According to information from Anthem, there are 389,432 Kansans who are potentially affected by the Anthem data breach. That number includes members of Amerigroup Kansas (for KanCare Medicaid recipients), Anthem national and employer accounts, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and other Blue organizations.
“Kansans who have been affected will receive a mailed company notification in the coming weeks,” Commissioner Selzer said.
Those whose personal information was included in the database breach can visit a special website, AnthemFacts.com, to learn how to enroll in two years of free credit monitoring and identity theft repair services, provided by Anthem. The website also has a question and answer section for those wanting more information.
Members can begin accessing these services prior to receiving a mailed notification from Anthem. They may access these services at any time during the 24- month coverage period.
The free identity protection services provided by Anthem include the following:
• Identity Theft Repair Assistance: Should a member experience fraud, an investigator will do the work to recover financial losses, restore the member’s credit, and ensure the member’s identity is returned to its proper condition. This assistance will cover any fraud that has occurred since the incident first began.
• Credit Monitoring: At no cost, members may also enroll in credit monitoring, which alerts consumers when banks and creditors use their identity to open new credit accounts.
• Child Identity Protection: Child-specific identity protection services will also be offered to any members with children insured through their Anthem plan.
The breach was discovered in late January and may affect as many as 80 million Americans. Anthem is a member of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Anthem stated that their investigation shows the information accessed includes member names, member health ID numbers, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and employment information. Social Security numbers may also have been accessed.
No credit card information or confidential health information has been identified as being in the security breach.
“Insurance regulators throughout the United States are urging consumers to be wary of potential new attacks on their personal information,” Commissioner Selzer said, “including phone or email scams. If Kansans have any doubt about the origin of people soliciting your information, contact the KID Consumer Assistance Hotline, 800-432-2484, and talk to a consumer assistance representative first.”