Ascension Health Data Breach

Ascension Health (“Ascension”) , a prominent healthcare organization, recently disclosed a significant data breach that compromised the personal information of approximately 5,599,699 individuals, including 658 residents of Maine. On May 7 and May 8, 2024, Ascension detected unauthorized activity on its technology systems, prompting an immediate response to secure its network. Cybersecurity experts were engaged to investigate the incident, which revealed that cybercriminals had accessed and exfiltrated sensitive data from Ascension’s systems. This data included information related to both patients and associates. The breach, stemming from a sophisticated ransomware attack, occurred on February 29, 2024, and was discovered on May 8, 2024.

To support affected individuals, Ascension is offering complimentary identity theft protection services through IDX. These services include:

• 24 months of credit monitoring and CyberScan monitoring.
• A $1,000,000 insurance reimbursement policy for expenses resulting from identity theft.
• Fully managed identity theft recovery services

Individuals associated with Ascension are advised to remain vigilant for any suspicious activity related to their personal information. Monitoring financial statements, changing passwords, and being cautious of phishing attempts are recommended steps to protect against potential misuse of compromised data. To learn more about protecting yourself after such incidents, here is a guide on what to do in an incident of a data breach and how you can take action.

What Information Was Involved?

The investigation confirmed that the compromised files contained a variety of sensitive data, which varied by individual. This data included:

• Medical Information: Medical record numbers, dates of service, types of lab tests, and procedure codes.
• Payment Information: Credit card details, bank account numbers, and transaction histories.
• Insurance Information: Medicaid/Medicare IDs, policy numbers, and insurance claims data.
• Government Identification: Social Security numbers, tax identification numbers, driver’s license numbers, and passport information.
• Other Personal Information: Names, dates of birth, addresses, and contact details.

How to Know if You Were Affected

If you received a data breach notification from Ascension Health, it likely means your information was affected. Class Action U, in partnership with KO Lawyers, is supporting individuals impacted by the Ascension Health, data breach. If your information was exposed in this breach, you may be eligible to join a class action lawsuit to seek compensation for:

• Loss of privacy
• Time spent addressing the breach
• Out-of-pocket costs
• Emotional distress

A successful case could also compel Ascension Health, to enhance its security practices to prevent similar incidents in the future. Contact Class Action U today to explore your legal options and protect your rights.