The Texas Health and Human Services Commission notified clients after discovering a box containing protected health information outside an unsecured dumpster belonging to a commission eligibility office.
The forms in the box — which included client information of 1,842 people in the Houston area — may have contained information such as names; client numbers; dates of birth; case numbers; phone numbers; mailing addresses; Social Security numbers; health information; and bank account numbers. HHSC is offering those affected by the breach one year of free credit monitoring services, although the agency currently has no evidence that anyone viewed the information, Texas HHSC Assistant Press Officer Kelli Weldon confirmed to Becker's Hospital Review via e-mail.
Ms. Weldon said HHSC is reviewing its processes and procedures for disposing documents that contain private information to prevent this type of incident from occurring in the future.
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