HHS OCR report ยท 2016
Group Health data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Group Health
- Entity type
- Health Plan
- State
- Washington
- Individuals affected
- 668
- Submission date
- Sep 23, 2016
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Paper/Films
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
The covered entity (CE), through its business associate (BA), erroneously mailed coverage termination letters to the wrong members/patients. The paper documents contained the protected health information (PHI) of approximately 668 individuals and included names, addresses, insurance group names, and medical record numbers. The CE provided breach notification to HHS, affected individuals, and the media. Following the breach, the CE worked with the BA to take additional quality control steps...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Group Health data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 668 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Sep 23, 2016.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, with the breached information located in: Paper/Films.
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 Group Health 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 Group Health.