Your Medical Records May Have Been Exposed: What Healthcare Patients Need to Know

Several large healthcare companies are being sued in state and federal courts for exposing or leaking patients' personal and medical information. On June 11, three patients filed a lawsuit against CareNow in Davidson County Circuit Court. CareNow operates urgent care clinics across multiple states. The lawsuits claim these companies failed to properly protect sensitive patient data, including names, addresses, medical histories, and health insurance details. If you or your family members have visited CareNow clinics or other healthcare providers mentioned in recent data breach news, your personal information and medical records may have been exposed. This includes details like your name, birth date, Social Security number, medical diagnoses, prescription information, and insurance details. Exposed medical information can be used by criminals for identity theft or insurance fraud.

Here is what you should do right now. First, contact the healthcare provider directly and ask if your records were part of any data breach. Second, check your medical explanation of benefits statements for any services you did not receive. Third, request a free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com and look for accounts you did not open. Fourth, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file by calling one of the three credit bureaus. Fifth, watch for suspicious emails or phone calls claiming to be from your healthcare provider asking for additional information.

To protect yourself long term, create unique passwords for each medical portal or healthcare website you use. Enable two-factor authentication whenever it is offered on medical accounts. Review all medical bills and insurance statements carefully when they arrive. Keep a list of all healthcare providers you visit so you can quickly check if they announce a breach. Be suspicious of any unsolicited calls or emails asking for medical or personal information.