The sensitive personal information of around 75,000 people was compromised last month after a government portal used to help people enroll in health plans through the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplace was hacked, officials said Oct. 19. All other sign-up systems are working. It throws into turmoil one aspect of the ACA’s insurance signup process less than two weeks before the start of the annual enrollment period for coverage created by the 2010 health-care law.
Officials said the hacked system was shut down and technicians are working to restore it before sign-up season starts Nov. 11 for health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
In a statement to CNN, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said the system that was exposed through the hack was the Direct Enrollment pathway, which allows agents and brokers to assist consumers with applications for coverage in the Federally Facilitated Exchanges, or FFE.
The FBI has been notified, the CMS said, and the agency plans to notify all those affected. In the meantime, his administration has made efforts to weaken parts of the law.
They began an initial investigation.
A breach was confirmed on Oct. 16. “We are working to identify the individuals potentially impacted as quickly as possible so that we can notify them and provide resources such as credit protection.”
