Centene Corp misplaces hard drives with sensitive info of 95,000 customers

US-based healthcare service provider Centene somehow managed to lose six hard drives containing sensitive data of some 95,000 customers.

“Centene has determined the hard drives contained the personal health information of certain individuals who received laboratory services from 2009-2015 including name, address, date of birth, social security number, member ID number and health information,” the company stated in a press release. “The hard drives do not include any financial or payment information.”

The company mounted an internal search for the unaccounted for hard drives. It is still unknown whether the drives have been expropriated by someone inside or outside the organization.

“While we don’t believe this information has been used inappropriately, out of abundance of caution and in transparency, we are disclosing an ongoing search for the hard drives. The drives were a part of a data project using laboratory results to improve the health outcomes of our members,” they explained, but didn’t say whether the sensitive data they contain is encrypted or not.

“Centene is in the process of reinforcing and reviewing its procedures related to managing its IT assets,” the company added.

Affected customers are being notified, and are offered free credit and healthcare monitoring services.