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Harvard Pilgrim: Customers' personal data, medical information could be affected by recent breach

Allison Quantz for NHPR

Health insurer Harvard Pilgrim says customer information appears to have been stolen during a data breach this spring.

The breach could affect anyone who was enrolled in a Harvard Pilgrim Commercial or Medicare Advantage Stride plan since March 2012, the company said.

About 72,000 New Hampshire residents are currently enrolled with Harvard Pilgrim health insurance, according to a company spokesperson. As of 2021, according to a report from the New Hampshire Insurance Department, Harvard Pilgrim covered about 40% of the state’s large- and small-group markets. It also offers plans on the state’s individual insurance marketplace.

The affected files included names, addresses, social security numbers and other personal information, as well as private medical information. Harvard Pilgrim says it’s not aware of any misuses of the stolen data so far.

The insurer recommends customers monitor their accounts and report any suspicious activity. It’s also offering two years of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection for affected customers.

People who have questions about the data breach or wish to enroll in those services can call 888-220-5517 for a dedicated help line between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Point32Health, the parent company of Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts Health Plan, previously announced it was dealing with a “cybersecurity ransomware incident” that occurred between late March and mid-April of this year.

On Tuesday, Point32Health said cybersecurity experts had “identified signs that data was copied and taken from Harvard Pilgrim systems.” They said the breach did not affect Tufts Health Plan members.

Paul Cuno-Booth covers health and equity for NHPR. He previously worked as a reporter and editor for The Keene Sentinel, where he wrote about police accountability, local government and a range of other topics. He can be reached at pcuno-booth@nhpr.org.