Breaking: Hackers expose health info of 9 million dental patients

On Friday, Managed Care of North America (MCNA) Dental announced that nearly 9 million patients had their personal data compromised in a dental data breach. MCNA is one of the largest government-sponsored dental insurance providers in the U.S., including Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries. 

The breach occurred on February 26 of this year, but was not discovered until March 3. Last month, hackers released the stolen information online for anyone to download after holding it for $10 million ransom.

What data did hackers steal from MCNA?

Information stolen included:

• Patient names, dates of birth and addresses
• Contact info including phone number and emails
• Social Security number
• Driver’s license number
• Health insurance, including plan information, insurance company, member number & Medicaid-Medicare ID numbers
• Bill and insurance claims
• Procedure and care history

How do I know if I’m affected by the MCNA dental data breach?

MCNA sent alerts to impacted customers. However, it’s possible if you’re a patient, you may not have received the notice if your address on file is not current. If you’re a MCNA patient, it’s best to assume that your info is out there.

MCNA has offered individuals complimentary credit monitoring services for the following year – but patients need to be on the lookout for fraud and freeze their credit if they have not already done so.

Read: How to freeze your credit

Data breaches pose significant harms to consumers, especially when it comes to healthcare. Personal information in the hands of hackers can leave you vulnerable to fraud. The problem is getting worse – last year alone, the Federal Trade Commission received over 2.2 million complaints related to identity theft, and ransomware attacks and hacks are becoming more frequent.