HHS OCR report ยท 2010
Mercer Health & Benefits data breach
Mercer Health & Benefits, a business associate in Idaho, reported a breach affecting 5,500 individuals to HHS OCR on Aug 10, 2010.
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Mercer Health & Benefits
- Entity type
- Business Associate
- State
- Idaho
- Individuals affected
- 5,500
- Submission date
- Aug 10, 2010
- Type of breach
- Loss
- Location of breached information
- Other
- Business associate present
- Yes
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
Idaho Power Group Health Plan's business associate, Mercer Health and Benefits, lost a backup tape as it was being sent via FEDEX from Boise to Seattle. The backup tape contained information of about 375,000 individuals that Mercer serviced. The total affected at Idaho Power was about 5,500 current and former employees and their dependents. The protected health information involved included names, addresses, dates of birth, and social security numbers. Although Mercer concluded that the lost ...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Mercer Health & Benefits data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 5,500 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Aug 10, 2010.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Loss, with the breached information located in: Other.
Is the investigation still open?
No. The report is in the OCR portal archive, which holds reports where OCR has closed its review.
Is a breach notice letter from Mercer Health & Benefits legitimate?
This site cannot verify letters. Check the sender against the organisation's official website and the HHS OCR breach portal, and avoid calling numbers or clicking links only listed in an unexpected message. See our guide on what to do after a data breach notice.
Source: HHS OCR Breach Portal, OCR export October 2026. Network USA is not affiliated with HHS or Mercer Health & Benefits.