Ex-employee downloaded copies of patients’ insurance and clinical information, California company admits

A class action against Muir Medical Group IPA, Inc. claimed that it failed to secure the private medical information of thousands of patients and let a former employee download this information and take it with her upon leaving her employment.

In the case of Vigil v. Muir Medical Group IPA, Inc., Muir’s chief executive officer notified certain patients that a data breach might have affected their personal information. Muir discovered that a former employee took certain information in its possession before her employment ended.

Muir investigated the incident and stated that there was no evidence that personal information was misused. However, Muir admitted that the former employee downloaded copies of patients’ information, including insurance and clinical information.

Read more: California court rules on alleged hack of workers' compensation litigation files

The plaintiff, who was one of the patients who received Muir’s notice, sought to file a class action claiming breach of the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), violation of the Customer Records Act, unlawful and unfair business practices under the Unfair Competition Law, and negligence.

She alleged that, under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s security management process standard, Muir’s employees should not have access to records regarding around 5,500 patients without a...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiiAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5oY2FtYWcuY...