Merritt Healthcare Advisors merritthealthcare.com Merritt Healthcare Advisors data breach: what happened and what to do
Merritt Healthcare Advisors reported a breach affecting 88,740 people, with access starting July 30, 2022. Its notice lists names, Social Security numbers, medical and health insurance information and financial account details. A $1.525 million class settlement was approved.
View all 13,177 breaches- Breach date
- 30 Jul 2022
- Affected
- 88,740
- Data exposed
- Names, Social security numbers, Medical information, Health insurance information, Financial account information
- Last updated
Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Serus is a privacy company with paid tools to find and remove your personal data. This page is free and based on official sources.
What happened
Merritt Healthcare Advisors, a Connecticut advisory firm that works with hospitals and health systems, reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that 88,740 people were affected. HHS describes an employee falling for an email phishing scheme. Court coverage describes unauthorized access to an account that held personal data between July 30 and August 25, 2022.
Merritt says it found the problem on November 30, 2022 and made it public on March 14, 2023. HHS closed its review after finding Merritt was not a covered entity or business associate under HIPAA.
Sources checked: amp.insurancejournal.com, ocrportal.hhs.gov, consumer.ftc.gov
Last verified against the official page:
What was exposed
The notice lists names, Social Security numbers, medical and health insurance information and financial account details. Not every person had every item exposed.
What that means for you
Social Security numbers plus names are what criminals need to open credit in someone's name. Health insurance details can be used for fake claims, and financial account details call for a close look at your statements. The delay between the access in 2022 and the notices in 2023 means the data had months to circulate before most people knew.
Settlement
A federal judge in Connecticut gave final approval to a $1,525,000 class action settlement in October 2024. Merritt agreed to settle and denies wrongdoing. If you got a notice, the settlement terms say how to claim.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Freeze your credit
A credit freeze is free and you place it separately at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, as the FTC explains. It blocks most new accounts in your name.
- 2
Watch your bank and card statements
Financial account details were part of the notice. Check statements for charges you don't recognize and ask your bank whether you should replace the account.
- 3
Read your insurance statements
Check explanation of benefits statements and question any treatment you didn't get.
- 4
Check your credit reports
Look at your reports at annualcreditreport.com for accounts you don't recognize.
- 5
Report misuse
If someone uses your details, report it at IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan.
- 6
Check whether your email or phone is in this and other breaches
Run a free Serus scan. Serus monitors breach databases and the dark web and alerts you when your details show up. It can't remove breach data, so the steps above are what protect you.
Official filings
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , filed 15 Mar 2023 : 88,740 people
Timeline
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The breach happened
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Reported to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the Merritt Healthcare Advisors breach?
Merritt sent notices to the people it identified. If you received one, your information was involved.
What was exposed?
The notice lists names, Social Security numbers, medical and health insurance information and financial account details. Your letter says what applies to you.
Is there a settlement?
Yes. A federal court in Connecticut approved a $1,525,000 class settlement in October 2024. Merritt denies wrongdoing.
Should I freeze my credit?
If your Social Security number was in the notice, yes. A freeze is free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and you can lift it any time.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
