In December 2022, Consulate Health Care posted notice of a data breach on the company’s website following an incident that compromised the security of information that had been entrusted to the company. Based on the “Notice of Incident” posted on the Consulate website, the company is still in the process of determining what patient information was leaked. However, according to one news source, a spokesperson for a well-known ransomware gang claims to have obtained employee and patient data, including names, Social Security numbers and protected health information. Of course, these claims cannot be confirmed, and the company’s investigation is ongoing.

If Consulate Health Care determines that sensitive employee and patient information was leaked as a result of the cyberattack, the company will likely begin sending out data breach notification letters to all affected individuals. Thus, if you receive a data breach letter from Consulate Health Care, your confidential information may now be in the possession of the cyber criminals who carried out the attack. As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, hackers have become more aggressive in recent years, targeting sensitive consumer information that they then sell on the Dark Web. This significantly increases your risk of falling victim to identity theft. However, there are steps you can take to protect yourself, even at this early stage. Additionally, if evidence emerges that Consulate Health Care or another company was negligent in how it handled your information, you may be able to pursue a data breach lawsuit against the negligent company.

What We Know So Far About the Consulate Health Care Breach

The available information regarding the Consulate Health Care breach comes from a notice posted on the Consulate website as well as various news sources. However, because the company’s investigation is still in its early stages, only limited information is available, some of which is conflicting. In its notice, Consulate explained that one of the company’s vendors experienced a data security incident that affected information that had been entrusted to the company.

Consulate Health Care notes that it is in frequent communication with its vendor and will provide notice to anyone whose personal information was compromised as a result of the incident. In the meantime, Consulate is advising all customers to review their financial statements for unauthorized activity, consider placing a fraud alert or security freeze on their credit profile, and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.

As noted above, the company’s investigation is still in progress. Thus, Consulate has not yet disclosed what information may have been leaked. However, one news outlet spoke with a representative from the ransomware gang that took credit for the attack. The representative indicated that the breach involved patients’ names, Social Security numbers, insurance information, and credit card information.

More Information About Consulate Health Care

Founded in 2007 and based in Maitland, Florida, Consulate Health Care is a provider of senior healthcare services. Consulate operates more than 140 nursing homes throughout five states, including Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Virginia and North Carolina. The company provides varying levels of care based on residents’ needs, including skilled nursing, comprehensive rehab, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, long-term care, and assisted and independent living. Consulate Health Care employs more than 4,369 people and generates approximately $1.5 billion in annual revenue.