Corporate parent of two major Mass. health insurers hit by cybersecurity attack

The company that runs two of the largest health insurance operations in Massachusetts was the subject of a recent cybersecurity attack. 

Point32Health, the parent company of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan, identified the “cybersecurity ransomware incident” on Monday, the company said in a statement to Boston.com. The ransomware targeted systems used to serve members, accounts, brokers, and providers. 

After learning that an “unauthorized party” had found its way into these systems, Point32Health took certain systems offline to keep the threat in check. This was done proactively, and “out of an abundance of caution,” the company said. 

Members covered by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care’s commercial and New Hampshire Medicare Stride plans are being affected, according to Point32Health. The company has “no reason to believe” Tufts Health Plan products were affected. 

“Our top priority is to ensure our members continue to have access to care. While we work diligently to restore the impacted systems as quickly and as safely as possible, our team is working around the clock to provide workarounds for members to receive the services they need,” The company said in a statement. 

Point32Health said it notified law enforcement officials and regulators. The company is also working with third-party cybersecurity experts to investigate the situation further. 

“We take the privacy and security of the data entrusted to us seriously. If during our investigation we determine any individuals’ sensitive information is involved in this incident, we will notify them in accordance with applicable law,” Point32Health said in a statement. 

To perpetrate a ransomware attack, criminals encrypt victims’ data and then demand ransom payments to unlock it. 

Last October, the FBI’s Boston Division warned government, academic, and private sector organizations about the threats that cyberattacks pose. The FBI said that 145 ransomware infections were reported to the Boston office in 2021, an 85% increase from 2020.

Earlier this year, schools in Swansea and Nantucket were impacted by ransomware attacks.

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