HHS OCR report · 2019
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
- Entity type
- Health Plan
- State
- Massachusetts
- Individuals affected
- 1,262
- Submission date
- Feb 15, 2019
- Type of breach
- Hacking/IT Incident
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- Yes
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
An employee of Health Equity, a business associate (BA) of the covered entity (CE), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, was the target of a social engineering attack on his personal computer where he had stored the username and password to his Health Equity webmail account. Using this login information, a third party sent a phishing email to 1,322 of the employee’s contacts. The incident potentially affected the demographic, financial, and clinical protected health information (PHI) of 1...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Other reports by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
| Covered entity | State | Entity type | Individuals | Submitted | Type of breach | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts | MA | Health Plan | 1,843 | Dec 26, 2017 | Unauthorized Access/Disclosure | Archive (closed) |
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 1,262 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Feb 15, 2019.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Hacking/IT Incident, with the breached information located in: Email.
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 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts 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 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.