The National Association of Insurance Commissioners will investigate the security posture of health insurer Anthem following its huge hacking breach announced last week that left the personal information of 80 million people vulnerable to identity theft.
The association anticipates that all 56 state and territorial commissioners will conduct investigations. “We are in agreement that an immediate and comprehensive review of the company’s security must be a priority to ensure protection of consumers who are covered by Anthem,” NAIC President Monica Lindeen said in a written statement.
The state and territorial investigations will inform the association on whether security best practices should be updated and if additional regulation is needed. Five states with significant Anthem business are expected take the lead: California, Indiana, Maine, Missouri and New Hampshire.
NAIC’s cybersecurity task force will support state and territorial efforts, assisting with monitoring developments in the field of cybersecurity and making recommendations, coordinating activities with standing committees and task forces, and sharing information with other entities as appropriate. Spokespersons for NAIC did not respond to a request for additional information.
Joseph Goedert writes for Health Data Management, a SourceMedia publication.
