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By Len Kiese - bio | email
July 29, 2008
ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine says more than 200,000 Georgians could be at risk for identity theft. He's investigating a major health insurer.
Oxendine says Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia mistakenly sent 202,000 letters containing personal information to the wrong addresses. The letters sent out last week included names and identification numbers.
It's not known how many also included social security numbers.
"This is a very serious breach. It's the worst breach of healthcare privacy I've seen in my 14 years in office. Obviously it was unintentional but it's a violation of both state and federal law," said Oxendine.
Customers who mistakenly receive the letters should return them to Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Oxendine ordered the company to inform anyone whose information is breached.
Anyone whose social security number was included on a letter will get a year of free credit monitoring.
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