Premera Blue Cross Security Incident Website is Active

A website has been established to inform Class Members of their rights under a Premera Blue Cross security incident class action settlement.

Premera Blue Cross has reached a $32 million settlement with customers who claimed that the company did not do enough to prevent customers from a data breach.

The data breach in question allegedly began in May 2014, and Premera made an announcement about the breach on March 17, 2015.

Premera has not admitted any liability but has agreed to settle the data brach class action lawsuit to avoid the costs and risks of continuing to pursue litigation.

The Premera class action settlement website says that the settlement deal has not yet been granted final approval, and notes that no settlement benefits or payments will be paid to Class Members unless it gets approval.

Per the terms of the Premera class action settlement, Premera will establish a $32 million settlement fund. The fund will be used to provide various benefits for Class Members allegedly affected by the data breach.

Benefits include credit monitoring services and identify theft insurance, cash payments for Class Members that will reimburse them for some out-of-pocket expenses, and a reimbursement of up to $20 per hour, up to 20 hours in time spent trying to recover from the affects of the data breach.

Premera will also provide up to $50 in cash for Cash Members to compensate for the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act. Premera has also agreed to pay for the costs of administering the fund, pay for attorney expenses, and pay awards to named plaintiffs, if the proposed settlement deal is approved.

In addition to benefits for people affected by the past data breach, Premera has agreed to spend $42 million on enhanced security measures over the course of the next three years.

The Premera Blue Cross settlement website notes that the deadline to file a claim is March 30, 2020. The deadline for Class Members to exclude themselves from the settlement or object/comment on it is Jan. 29, 2020. A final hearing has been set for March 2, 2020.

Class Members who receive benefits from the Premera class action settlement give up their rights to pursue other litigation against the company.

If a Class Member chooses to opt out, they will receive no benefits from the Premera class action settlement, but they retain their rights to pursue independent litigation against the company.

Class Members can also do nothing in response to the settlement deal. However, customers who do nothing will not receive settlement benefits, but still give up their rights to sue Premera for certain claims around the data breach.

The website states that Class Members can check the website on Sept. 13, 2019 for further information on filing a claim.

Those seeking further information can contact the claims administrator Epiq at 1-877-202-7335.

The plaintiffs are represented by Kim D. Stephens of Tousley Brain Stephens PLLC, James Pizzirusso of Hausfeld LLP, Tina Wolfson of Ahdoot & Wolfson PC, Karen Hanson Reibel of Lockridge Grindal & Nauen PLLP, and Keith Dubanevich of Stoll Berne.

The Premera Data Breach Class Action is In re: Premera Blue Cross Customer Data Security Breach Litigation, Case No. 3:15-md-2633, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.

UPDATE: September 2019, the Premera Blue Cross data breach class action settlement is now open. Click here to file a claim.

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