Politics
Politics

Equifax, company in data breach, holds Obamacare customer info

(AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
(AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
By
Sept 13, 2017

The historic data breach at Atlanta-based Equifax is now raising stress levels in the world of health care.

Equifax holds the federal contract to verify personal incomes for policyholders on the insurance exchanges of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.

A spokeswoman for the federal government told Bloomberg News that the Obamacare data wasn't part of the hack, though the company itself did not respond. Nearly 500,000 Georgians have policies that were bought on the exchange.

Equifax has touted its Obamacare services, including working with companies on compliance under the health care law.

“Our award-winning technology securely collects and aggregates the data necessary to manage ACA, helping employers remain compliant with complex regulations,” the company says on its website.

This summer the company lost control of the key personal data of 143 million Americans, the company recently announced, in the largest and most serious hacking data breach made public in U.S. history.

About the Author

Ariel Hart is a reporter on health care issues. She works on the AJC’s health team and has reported on subjects including the Voting Rights Act and transportation.

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