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Banner Health announced that it is mailing letters
to approximately 3.7 million patients, health plan
members and beneficiaries, food and beverage
customers and physicians and healthcare providers
related to a cyber attack. Banner Health immediately
launched an investigation, hired a leading forensics
firm, took steps to block the cyber attackers and
contacted law enforcement.
On July 7, 2016, Banner Health discovered that cyber
attackers may have gained unauthorized access to
computer systems that process payment card data at
food and beverage outlets at some Banner Health
locations. The attackers targeted payment card data,
including cardholder name, card number, expiration
date and internal verification code, as the data was
being routed through affected payment processing
systems. Payment cards used at food and beverage
outlets at certain Banner Health locations during
the two-week period between June 23, 2016 and July
7, 2016 may have been affected. A list of the
outlets that were affected can be found at
www.BannerSupports.com. The investigation revealed
that the attack did not affect payment card payments
used to pay for medical services.
On July 13, 2016, Banner Health learned that the
cyber attackers may have gained unauthorized access
to patient information, health plan member and
beneficiary information, as well as information
about physician and healthcare providers. The
patient and health plan information may have
included names, birthdates, addresses, physicians’
names, dates of service, claims information, and
possibly health insurance information and social
security numbers, if provided to Banner Health. The
physician and provider information may have included
names, addresses, dates of birth, social security
numbers and other identifiers they may use. The
investigation also revealed that the attack was
initiated on June 17, 2016.
This incident did not affect all Banner Health
patients.
Banner Health worked quickly to block the attackers
and is working to enhance the security of its
systems in order to help prevent this from happening
in the future. Banner Health is also working with
the payment card networks so banks that issue
payment cards can be made aware and initiate
heightened monitoring on the affected cards.
Customers should be assured that they can
confidently use payment cards at Banner Health food
and beverage outlets.
Banner Health is offering a free one-year membership
in monitoring services to patients, health plan
members, health plan beneficiaries, physicians and
healthcare providers, and food and beverage
customers who were affected by this incident.
Banner Health encourages its food and beverage
customers to remain vigilant to the possibility of
fraud by reviewing their payment card statements for
any unauthorized activity. These customers should
immediately report any unauthorized charges to their
card issuer because payment card rules generally
provide that cardholders are not responsible for
unauthorized charges reported in a timely manner.
The telephone number to call is usually on the back
of the payment card. Banner Health also recommends
that patients review the explanation of benefits
statements they receive from their health insurer.
If they see any services they did not receive, the
patient should contact the insurer immediately.
Banner Health deeply regrets any inconvenience this
may have caused. Customers with questions can call
1-855-223-4412, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Time,
seven days a week.
Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of
the largest nonprofit health care systems in the
country. The system owns and operates 29 acute-care
hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner –
University Medicine, Banner Medical Group, long-term
care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an
array of other services, including family clinics,
home care and hospice services, pharmacies and a
nursing registry. Banner Health is in seven states:
Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska,
Nevada and Wyoming.
For more information
Banner Health
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