HHS OCR report ยท 2018
FirstCare Health Plans data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- FirstCare Health Plans
- Entity type
- Health Plan
- State
- Texas
- Individuals affected
- 8,056
- Submission date
- Oct 12, 2018
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
The covered entity (CE), FirstCare Health Plans, reported that an employee sent an email containing the electronic protected health information (ePHI) of 8,056 individuals to an external email account. The ePHI involved included names, health insurance information, diagnoses, clinical information, and other treatment information. In its mitigation efforts, the CE sanctioned the workforce member and implemented additional administrative and technical safeguards to better protect its ePHI. T...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the FirstCare Health Plans data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 8,056 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Oct 12, 2018.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, 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 FirstCare Health Plans 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 FirstCare Health Plans.