UnitedHealthcare says data breach affects certain Rhode Island residents

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — UnitedHealthcare said that a “data security incident” involved the personal health information of certain Rhode Island residents.

The health insurer said that the breached data varies by individual but could include names, member ID numbers, plan types, and county and state of residency.

UnitedHealthcare said that the breaches took place between Dec. 1, 2022 and Jan. 25, 2023, when an “unauthorized third party” accessed internal data and attempted to divert funds meant for agents.

The company said it is currently alerting affected individuals and a toll free information hotline was opened at 800-669-1812.

“UHC is committed to protecting our members’ and brokers’ information and maintaining the integrity of our systems,” the company said. “UHC placed additional safeguards on the UHC broker portal to help minimize the risk of a similar incident occurring in the future.”

A similar data breach involving UnitedHealthcare and Rhode Island residents occurred earlier this summer.