Hard drive with patient drug data goes MIA

Healthcare and Public Health // Wisconsin, United States

Unity Health Insurance learned Dec. 12, 2013 that a portable drive storing data on up to 41,437 members went missing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy. The institution possessed the information as part of a benefits program evaluation.

Unity informed law enforcement authorities that same day and an investigation is ongoing.

The company notified affected members in postal letters mailed on Jan. 29.

The lost information was limited to the Unity member number, birthdate, city of residence, name of drug, and date of service. 

The drive did not contain member names, Social Security numbers, credit card information, street addresses, phone numbers or any financial data.

“We have no reason to believe the hard drive was stolen to gain access to member information or that this information has been accessed or misused in any way,” Unity said in a statement.

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