HHS OCR report ยท 2017
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
- Entity type
- Health Plan
- State
- New York
- Individuals affected
- 4,220
- Submission date
- Jul 19, 2017
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Other
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), the covered entity (CE) reported that an unauthorized individual gained access to 4,420 online customer accounts through an email phishing scheme. The protected health information (PHI) involved included names, addresses, health policy numbers, and account information. MetLife provided breach notification to HHS, individuals affected by the breach, and posted a warning notice on its website educating its customers of the risk of phishing attacks...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 4,220 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Jul 19, 2017.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, 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 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company 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 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.