On April 17, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC) discovered a cybersecurity ransomware incident that impacted systems that support their Commercial and Medicare Advantage Stride plans (HMO)/(HMO-POS). Their investigation identified signs that data was copied and taken from their systems between March 28, 2023, and April 17, 2023. Tufts Health Plan, Tufts Medicare Preferred, Tufts Health Public Plans and CarePartners of Connecticut systems were not impacted.
According to Point32 Health, the health services organization resulting from the merger between HPHC and Tufts Health Plan, the files breached may contain personal information (names and SSN’s) and/or protected health information for HPHC’s current and former subscribers and dependents and current contracted providers.
Although HPHC/Point 32 Health is not aware of any misuse of personal information and protected health information as a result of the incident, HPHC is offering complimentary access to two (2) years of credit monitoring and identity theft protection services through IDX to potentially impacted individuals.
Steps you can take to protect your personal information:
Enrollment Code: QE3U9P6XL
Go to (click here) and follow the instructions for enrollment using your Enrollment Code above. Additionally, you may call the IDX call center at (888) 220-5517 (toll free), Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET, excluding U.S. holidays.
Lastly, on the billing side of the equation, effective April 15, 2023 and until further notice, HPHC waived all prior authorization (PA) requirements and related utilization management (UM) requirements for all Harvard Pilgrim Health Care members. This includes members who are out of area and have access to their national network partner, UnitedHealthcare. According to the Point32 website, provider partners should continue providing care to HPHC members during this ongoing incident and services will be covered. Further, HPHC is unable to accept claim submissions for its Commercial members, and requests that providers please hold these submissions until further notice. When they are able to accept these claims in the future, HPHC is on record stating that they will extend the timely filing limits.
Parts of the information provided above were taken directly from the Point32 Health website and the Medical Group Management Association.