WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials say the second-largest health insurer in the United States has agreed to pay a record $16-million to settle potential privacy violations in the biggest healthcare hack in the nation’s history.
The personal information of nearly 79-million people — including names, birthdates, Social Security number, and medical IDs — was exposed in the cyberattack, which was discovered by the company in early 2015.
Officials say Monday’s settlement between Indianapolis-based Anthem Inc. and the Department of Health and Human Services represents the largest amount collected by the agency in a healthcare data breach.
Anthem also agreed to a corrective action plan under government monitoring, which involves a process for the company to assess its electronic security risks, take appropriate countermeasures and maintain ongoing surveillance.