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Monongalia Health Data Breach Class Action Investigation

On Behalf of | Dec 27, 2021 | Firm News

Markovits, Stock & DeMarco, LLC, a law firm experienced in handling data breach class actions, is investigating claims on behalf of victims of a data breach involving Monongalia Health System, Inc. and its affiliated hospitals, Monongalia County General Hospital Company and Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital Company (collectively, “Monongalia Health”).

 

WHAT HAPPENED?

Between May 10, 2021 and August 15, 2021, unauthorized individuals gained access to several Monongalia Health employee email accounts containing the sensitive information of Monongalia Health’s patients, providers, employees, and contractors.[1] In a notice posted to its website, Monongalia Health states that it first became aware of this incident on July 28, 2021.[2] The notice does not explain why unauthorized individuals were able to maintain access to Monongalia Health email accounts for more than two weeks after Mon Health first detected this incident.[3]

Monongalia Health recently disclosed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that 398,164 individuals had their data exposed in the breach.[4] Monongalia Health did not begin notifying these victims until December 21, 2021.[5]

 

WHAT INFORMATION WAS EXPOSED IN THE DATA BREACH?

The exposed information includes:

  • names,
  • addresses,
  • dates of birth,
  • patient account numbers,
  • health insurance plan member ID numbers,
  • medical record numbers,
  • dates of service,
  • provider names,
  • claims information,
  • medical and clinical treatment information,
  • status as a current or former Mon Health patient,
  • Medicare health insurance claim numbers, and
  • Social Security numbers.[6]

 

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THE MONONGALIA HEALTH DATA BREACH?

If you would like to have a free, confidential consultation with an attorney to learn more about your rights and potential legal remedies in response to the Monongalia Health data breach, please contact Markovits, Stock & DeMarco attorney Terry Coates at (513) 651-3700, email us at [email protected], or submit a Case Evaluation request through the form below.

 

[1] https://www.monhealth.com/Uploads/Public/Documents/MonHealth/Mon%20Health%20-%20%20Website%20Notice%20-%2012.21.2021.pdf (last visited December 27, 2021).

[2] Id.

[3] See id.

[4] https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/breach/breach_report.jsf (last visited December 27, 2021).

[5] https://www.monhealth.com/Uploads/Public/Documents/MonHealth/Mon%20Health%20-%20%20Website%20Notice%20-%2012.21.2021.pdf (last visited December 27, 2021).

[6] Id.