OAKLAND, Calif. (August 3, 2023) – A Blue Shield of California (“Blue Shield”) independent physicians association that contracts with Blue Shield to support members in obtaining healthcare services, Choice Physicians Network and Choice Medical Group (collectively “Choice”), has reported to Blue Shield that it suffered a security incident on April 23, 2023.
Blue Shield members impacted by Choice’s cyber security breach have been notified of the incident and provided no-cost credit monitoring. Blue Shield takes this situation seriously and is committed to protecting the privacy of our members.
On April 23, 2023, Choice identified unusual activity on their computer systems, immediately took steps to contain the activity, took additional mitigation actions, and began an investigation with the assistance of third-party forensic specialists. Choice also reported the incident to law enforcement authorities.
On or about May 18, 2023, the investigation determined that certain files were copied from Choice’s network on April 23, 2023, and may have affected some members’ personal information, including name, date of birth, gender, subscriber identification number, primary care physician, and capitation data. No Blue Shield member Social Security numbers or banking and credit card information were affected.
At this time, there is no evidence that any personal data has been misused. Blue Shield systems and emails were never affected or vulnerable to this attack.
For more information, impacted individuals can call 833-281-4830.