Walgreens has sent letters to customers telling them that stores nationwide were affected by a potential breach of patient data between May 26 and June 5 and their prescription information may have been compromised.
The company said that between those dates, thieves stole filled prescriptions and paper records with health information, potentially exposing data including customer names and ages, medication names and dosages, prescription numbers and prescriber names, health plan names and group numbers, and vaccination information, as well as patients' addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
A Walgreens spokesperson told The Philadelphia Inquirer that about 180 stores were affected.
Walgreens said credit card numbers, banking information and Social Security numbers were not affected.
The company said it closed out and reentered affected prescriptions in its system to prevent fraud, and insurance claims were reversed for any stolen prescriptions that were billed to health plans.
Walgreens advised customers to monitor their prescription and medical records as well as to review benefit statements from their health insurers.
"Protecting our customers’ personal information is a top priority and something we take very seriously. We’ve worked with local law enforcement, and are continuing to take steps to assist and notify customers who may have been impacted," a Walgreens spokesperson told Becker's. "While these were particularly challenging circumstances from a security standpoint and impacted a very small percentage of our stores, we’re evaluating the numerous safeguards we regularly employ, and apologize for any inconvenience these incidents may have caused."
Read the full letter sent to customers here.