Medicaid data breach ‘like an onion’

One of the largest recent security breaches of personal health information (PHI) has occurred, involving 280,000 individuals. Affiliated insurers Keystone Mercy Health Plan and AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan reported the data breach, which involved a portable computer drive containing personal health information. The drive was said to have gone missing, but full Social Security numbers were not present. The breach highlights the importance of encryption as a way to protect health information, even for small organizations. The insurers have taken immediate action and will be mailing letters to individuals affected by the breach.