Amerigroup Iowa, Inc

Amerigroup Iowa, Inc. experienced a data breach that was part of a larger incident impacting the personal information of some Iowa Medicaid members. This breach was announced by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on April 11, 2023. The breach did not directly affect the Iowa Medicaid system but involved a contractor’s computer system. Specifically, the breach occurred at Independent Living Systems (ILS), a subcontractor of Telligen, Inc., which performs annual assessments for Medicaid members to ensure they receive the correct level of care. The data breach, which took place between June 30 and July 5, 2022, resulted in the exposure of personal information belonging to more than four million individuals across several states, including approximately 20,800 Iowa Medicaid members. The compromised information included full names, Medicaid details, and other sensitive data. ILS detected the network intrusion on July 5, 2022, and subsequently reported the incident to the FBI and other authorities. An investigation was launched to determine the extent of the data compromised. ILS informed Telligen of the breach on February 14, 2023, who then notified Iowa HHS and Medicaid on February 17, 2023. In response, ILS has taken steps to enhance their network security environment and provided additional training to employees on handling sensitive information. Iowa Medicaid is addressing the situation by mailing letters to all affected members, detailing the compromised information and providing guidance on how to protect themselves from unauthorized use of their information. These letters also include information on accessing free credit monitoring services and obtaining a free copy of their credit report. Medicaid members with concerns are encouraged to contact Iowa Medicaid Member Services for assistance[1][5].

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights Breach Portal reported a breach involving Amerigroup Iowa, Inc., with 1,023 individuals affected, categorized as “Unauthorized Access/Disclosure” with the location of the breached information being “Other.” This incident was reported on January 3, 2024[11].

Cole & Van Note, a consumer rights law firm, has announced an investigation on behalf of Amerigroup Iowa, Inc.’s consumers/clients due to the company’s recent data breach. The firm is exploring the potential for substantial compensation for those affected by the breach, emphasizing the importance of taking action to protect personal information from cybercriminals[12].

Citations:

1. https://hhs.iowa.gov/news-release/2023-04-11/national-data-breach-impacts-some-iowa-medicaid-members
2. https://www.humana.com
3. https://www.hipaajournal.com/iowa-medicaid-soutth-jersey-behavioral-health-resources-breaches/
4. https://dchealthlink.com
5. https://healthitsecurity.com/news/iowa-medicaid-suffers-third-party-data-breach-20k-impacted
6. https://lifelock.norton.com
7. https://hhs.iowa.gov/about/newsroom/data-breach-notifications
8. https://www.tricare.mil
9. https://hacknotice-bucket-001.s3.amazonaws.com/hack/6596c271fa03bd1db16f6f47.html
10. https://perscholas.org/eligibility/
11. https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/breach/breach_report.jsf
12. https://www.newstrail.com/cole-van-note-announces-amerigroup-iowa-inc-data-breach-investigation/
13. https://www.thegazette.com/state-government/personal-data-for-233000-iowa-medicaid-members-compromised-in-cyber-attack/