Phila. Fire Department Warns of Data Breach Affecting EMS Transport Patients
By Kim Glovas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Fire Department has issued a warning that anyone who received ambulance services during an eight-month period in 2012 may have had his or her personal information compromised.
The fire department says a rogue employee sold patient information to a theft ring in 2012, but the theft did not come to light until February of this year.
At least 750 patients may have had a breach of their personal information -- including Social Security numbers, birth dates, and the names of primary health insurance carriers.
The fire department says it is unaware of any inappropriate uses of the stolen information, but officials are sending letters to those patients about the breach, and urging them to enroll in free credit monitoring and related services which will be paid for by Intermedix, the company that handles billing for Philadelphia ambulances.
