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Data
Breach Announced by Government Contractor
Recently, computer data
tapes containing protected patient information from several Texas military
treatment facilities were stolen from Science Applications International
Corporation (SAIC), a government contractor. The loss of these tapes
may place TRICARE patient data at risk and some military beneficiaries
including Martin’s Point US Family Health Plan members who at one time
received care in Texas could be affected. Please be advised that at no
time was Martin’s Point data breached in this investigation.
The data
contained on the tapes may include names, Social Security numbers,
addresses and phone numbers, and some personal health data such as
clinical notes, laboratory tests, and prescriptions. There is no
financial data, such as credit card or bank account information,
on the tapes. There is also no evidence so far to suggest that any
of the data has actually been accessed by a third party.
TMA analysis
shows the chance that any data was actually compromised to be small and
considers the risk of harm to patients/members to be low, despite the
sensitive data involved. Retrieving data from the tapes requires
specialized knowledge of the system and data structure, as well as
knowledge of and access to specific hardware and software.
In an effort to
be proactive and ensure that potentially affected patients/members are
kept informed and protected, SAIC has sent letters to affected people
informing them of the theft and offering a free, one-year access to
Kroll’s Identity Theft Consultation and Restoration. TMA also encourages
concerned individuals to take the steps suggested by the Federal Trade Commission to
help protect their personal information.
Concerned
patients/members may also contact the SAIC Incident Response Call Center,
Monday through Friday, 9:00 am-6:00 pm EST at (855) 366-0140 (toll free)
for United States callers and (952) 556-8312 (collect) internationally.
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is a TRICARE Prime health plan that serves
members in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, upstate New York, and
northern Pennsylvania. We have been a proud provider of health care to
military families, retirees, and their dependents for more than 30 years.
At the Martin's Point US Family Health Plan, we strive to
provide the highest quality health care and the best customer service to
our members. 
