WellPoint

GA Blue plan sends benefit letters to wrong addresses

Anne Zieger — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 14:00:49 -0400

Last week, Georgia's largest health insurer concluded that it sent about 202,000 benefits letters containing personal and health information to the wrong addresses, courtesy of a systems error. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia said the mailings were largely Explanation of Benefits letters, which include the patient's name and ID number, the name of the medical provider that delivered the service and the amounts charged and owed. Not only is the mistake a possible invitation to identity theft, but it could turn out to be a HIPAA violation as well.

The Blue plan, which has 3.1 million Georgia policyholders, said that the error occurred due to a change in one of its systems that had not been tested properly. Executives say that they've altered the system so this kind of mistake can't happen again. Meanwhile, the plan--a subsidiary of giant WellPoint--is providing free credit monitoring for affected patients for one year. It's also giving written notices to policyholders whose names were on the EOBs, and compiling a list of those who received other members' EOBs in error.

To learn more about the breach:
- read this Atlanta Journal-Constitution article

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Coalition wants e-prescribing included in Medicare reform

Mon, 05 May 2008 06:59:57 -0400

A coalition of 44 healthcare industry organizations have come together to ask Congress to to include e-prescribing mandates in Medicare reform legislation. The members want legislators to adopt the Medicare Electronic Medication and Safety Protection Act of 2007 (E-MEDS), which would require Medicare providers to use e-prescribing technology. The group should have some clout, as it includes some heavy hitters, including the BlueCross BlueShield Association, AT&T, the National Business Group on Health, General Motors, WellPoint, CIGNA, Aetna and Verizon.

In recent times, it's begun to look like a Medicare e-prescribing mandate is all but certain. However, despite these endorsements, it hasn't happened yet, and it's not clear whether HHS is inclined to force the matter.

To learn more about this initiative:
- read this Modern Healthcare article (reg. req.)

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SPOTLIGHT: WellPoint offers cellphone-accessible provider directory

Mon, 05 May 2008 06:59:52 -0400

Wondering if your patients will benefit from mobile services? Maybe you'll want to follow WellPoint's lead. The insurer has rolled out a new provider directory for its beneficiaries designed specifically for cellphone and BlackBerry use. The system not only offers listings, but also directions to provider offices. Article

WellPoint data may have been compromised

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:59:57 -0400

While it's not clear what happened, it looks as though clinical and personal data on 130,000-odd WellPoint beneficiaries may have been accessed through the web. WellPoint has announced that during the past year, two servers operated by a vendor weren't properly secured, leaving pharmacy records, Social Security numbers, claims information and more exposed to the public. To date, WellPoint has not become aware of any identity thefts resulting from access to that data (though patients potentially could have suffered identity theft and failed to connect it to the breach). In response, WellPoint is offering potentially affected beneficiaries one year of free credit-monitoring services. It's also tightened up its security measure with help from an outside consultant.

To learn more about the breach:
- read this Chicago Tribune piece

Related Articles:
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