Premera Faces Data Breach Class Action Lawsuit

A class action lawsuit was filed against Premera Blue Cross alleging the company failed to adequately protect consumer information. Attorneys are looking for potential Premera Blue Cross data breach plaintiffs.

The Premera Blue Cross data breach lawsuit was filed by Howard K., a resident of New Jersey. Howard brings the lawsuit on behalf of himself and on behalf of others similarly situated.

Class action lawsuits like this one allow plaintiffs to join together to bring a lawsuit, helping to spread the costs of litigation. Class action lawsuits require each of the Class Members to share similar facts and matters of law.

In his class action lawsuit, Howard alleges claims for negligence, unjust enrichment, and breach of contract as well as several other violations.

Overview of the Premera Blue Cross Data Breach

On March 15, Premera Blue Cross, a major health care provider in the Pacific Northwest, disclosed a massive data breach of personal identifying information for millions of its customers. The personal identifying information involved in the data breach includes names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, bank account information, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, medical records, and employment information.

It is estimated that nearly 11 million customers have been affected by the data breach. According to a healthcare security expert, medical records provide an incredibly detailed picture of a person’s life and medical history, allowing identity thieves to easily commit medical fraud.

Premera allegedly discovered the security breach on Jan. 29, but decided to wait six weeks before informing its customers about the breach. The initial attack occurred in May 2014.

Many customers are angered by the fact that after learning of Anthem’s massive security breach earlier that year, Premera announced that the company was dedicated to safeguarding its own members’ personal data, even though the company knew its own systems had already been breached.

According to the Seattle Times, federal officials informed Premera that the company’s security procedures were inadequate. Federal officials gave these warnings to Premera weeks before the data breach occurred.

Premera Blue Cross has had multiple class action lawsuits filed against it for alleged violations of both state and federal laws. Premera began mailing notices to affected customers in March explaining how affected customers can take advantage of two years of free credit monitoring. After the hack was announced, Premera informed the public that the company was working with a leading cybersecurity firm and taking additional steps to strengthen their security systems.

Overview of Premera Lawsuits

Plaintiffs bringing lawsuits include individuals who were insured not only under Premera but also Blue Cross Blue Shield in Washington and Alaska, and LifeWise Health Plan of Oregon. Premera plaintiffs claim that the company not only failed to adequately protect consumer information but also failed to warn customers in a timely fashion after they realized the breach had occurred. The victims of the Premera data breach will have to continually monitor for identity theft for years to come.

The Premera Data Breach Class Action Lawsuit is Case No. 2:15-cv-00512-MJP, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Seattle.

Join a Free Premera Blue Cross Data Breach Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you were insured by Premera and/or its affiliates between 2002 and Jan. 29, 2015, you may have a legal claim for compensation. This includes all individuals who fall into one of the following categories:

• Premera Blue Cross subscriber or applicant
• Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska subscriber or applicant
• Vivacity applicant, customer, or member
• Connexion applicant, customer, or member
• Individuals “doing business” with Premera
• Members of other Blue Cross Blue Shield plans who sought treatment in Washington or Alaska
• Members of LifeWise Health Plan of Oregon and other Premera subsidiaries

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