Heartland Community Health Data Breach Affects 43,768 Americans

Heartland Community Health Center disclosed a data breach that has affected tens of thousands of individuals. The breach was discovered on October 1, 2024, when suspicious activity was detected in a single employee's email account.

An investigation revealed that unauthorized access to the email account occurred between October 1 and October 2, 2024.

Upon further review, it was determined that the breach exposed sensitive information, like medical records, belonging to 43,768 people in the United States, including 7 individuals in Massachusetts.

The breach's severity is underscored by the fact that it involved unauthorized access to personal health information (PHI), which can have serious implications.

Heartland Community Health Center's Response

In response to the data breach, Heartland Community Health Center took action by resetting passwords and reviewing their policies and procedures to prevent future incidents. To help affected individuals, the center is offering credit monitoring and identity protection services at no cost. These services include alerts for changes to credit files and proactive fraud assistance.

Affected individuals are encouraged to enroll in these services to protect their personal information. Enrollment details are provided in the notice to consumers, which is available at the bottom of this article in PDF format. Additionally, individuals should remain vigilant by regularly reviewing their credit reports and account statements for any suspicious activity.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, you can contact the dedicated assistance line at 1-833-799-4430, Monday through Friday, between 7 AM and 7 PM CT, excluding holidays.

For more details, you can refer to the Massachusetts Attorney General's disclosure and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' disclosure.