Republicans demand answers on blue state health program accused of leaking patient data to Big Tech

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are putting California's state-run nationalist wellness security speech connected announcement with a missive demanding answers astir its leaking of backstage diligent information to third-party entries arsenic portion of a selling effort. 

Spearheaded by respective Republicans connected the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the missive to Covered California, which facilitates public wellness insurance for millions of Californians, seeks answers to galore questions astir its alleged leak of backstage diligent information to third-party entities, specified arsenic LinkedIn and Google.   

"Ensuring the confidentiality of wellness accusation is simply a foundational work for entities operating wrong the wellness security ecosystem," the letter, signed by 5 Republican leaders successful the House, states. It points retired however national privateness protections, successful peculiar those stemming from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), found definite "expectations" for however organizations similar Covered California indispensable grip diligent information. 

Additionally, successful California, the instrumentality requires consumers supply support to definite organizations earlier their aesculapian accusation tin beryllium disclosed to third-parties.

OVER 8M PATIENT RECORDS LEAKED IN HEALTHCARE DATA BREACH 

"Recent reports and nationalist filings raised questions astir whether those expectations were met successful this case, and whether existing oversight mechanisms are capable to observe and forestall improper disclosures," the Republicans' missive asserted.  

House Republicans are demanding answers from California's nationalist wellness security marketplace aft it was uncovered the programme was sharing delicate diligent information. (Getty Images/CyberGuy.com)

Following nationalist disapproval successful precocious April, alleging that Covered California was passing delicate diligent information to LinkedIn via a web of "trackers" connected its website, the state-run wellness security speech removed them. 

The disapproval stemmed from a forensic investigation by 2 investigative nonprofits, which recovered Covered California's website was sharing patients' answers to questions, specified arsenic whether 1 is pregnant, oregon however galore prescription drugs they use, oregon however often they spot doctors, were being passed to LinkedIn without the patients' cognition oregon consent. Other questions included demographic accusation and different delicate idiosyncratic data, and Covered California subsequently admitted to sharing patients' Social Security numbers. 

In total, Covered California had much than 60 progressive "trackers" connected assorted information points, according to Cal Matters, 1 of the investigative nonprofits that uncovered the leaked data. Cal Matters, successful their investigation, pointed retired however the mean fig of trackers crossed much than 200 authorities websites it investigated was lone three.

Following the Cal Matters study that led to nationalist criticism, Coverd California subsequently explained that the "trackers" it had functioning connected its website were portion of an advertizing run initiated successful February 2024, and upon find of the information sharing, it removed them successful April the pursuing year.

5.5 MILLION PATIENTS' INFORMATION EXPOSED BY MAJOR HEALTHCARE DATA BREACH

Covered California, a authorities healthcare portal, had much than 60 progressive "trackers" connected assorted information points, according to Cal Matters, 1 of the investigative nonprofits that uncovered the leaked data. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

"Covered California leverages LinkedIn’s advertizing level tools, including LinkedIn Insight tags, which are pieces of codification added to a website to assistance way however visitors interact with the site. This instrumentality allows america to amended recognize user behaviour and present tailored messages to assistance consumers marque informed decisions astir their wellness attraction options," Covered California said successful a public statement enactment retired pursuing the Cal Matters report. "While the reappraisal is inactive ongoing, Covered California has identified that immoderate delicate information was inadvertently collected by the tags, including archetypal names, the past 4 digits of Social Security numbers, and different delicate wellness accusation similar gestation status."

The authorities wellness security speech added that it was reviewing its full website to guarantee nary much analytical tools were improperly collecting oregon sharing delicate diligent data.   

Meanwhile, days aft Cal Matters brought the data-sharing concerns involving Covered California to light, a class-action lawsuit was filed against LinkedIn and Google, accusing the companies of operating bundle enabling them "to intercept delicate and confidential communications of Covered California customers."

The missive from House Republicans marks the latest effort to summation unit connected the California-run nationalist wellness security exchange. Republicans are demanding answers to questions pertaining to its information sharing, including during the play of clip it was allegedly sharing info with LinkedIn, arsenic good arsenic questions astir what Covered California is presently doing to support its patients' data.

BLUE SHIELD EXPOSED 4.7M PATIENTS’ HEALTH DATA TO GOOGLE

GOP Reps. Brett Guthrie and Jay Obernolte, some of whom service connected the House's Energy and Commerce Committee, helped spearhead the enhanced investigative measures against California's nationalist wellness security marketplace. (Getty Images)

"Americans merit to cognize that their delicate wellness information is unafraid and being handled prudently," Chairman Guthrie said pursuing transmission of the missive to Covered California. "We are hopeful that California volition beryllium transparent and forthcoming astir this evident information information nonaccomplishment arsenic we motorboat our investigation."

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"The unauthorized sharing of backstage wellness information with third-party advertisers— including gestation status, medicine cause use, and Social Security information— is profoundly troubling," added California Rep. Jay Obernolte, a chap Republican connected the House Energy and Commerce Committee who helped spearhead the missive to Covered California alongside Guthrie. "We’re seeking answers due to the fact that the radical of California merit accountability and transparency erstwhile their privateness is compromised."

When reached for comment, Covered California acknowledged receipt of the missive from Guthrie, Obernolte, and others connected the House Energy and Commerce Committee, adding that they were presently reviewing its requests and program to respond by the provided July 1 deadline. Google and LinkedIn declined to supply remark for this article.