Contra Costa County wrongly disclosed the names of 4,700 patients, and left those names on the Internet for more than a year. The wrongly disclosed information revealed the identity of people who owe, or were alleged to owe, payment to the county health services department. This information is potentially damaging, because victims’ private information was revealed and they were wrongly subjected to public embarrassment — in direct violation of state and federal privacy laws.
People who are victimized by wrongful disclosures can be protected by the court system. For example, when TRICARE failed to fulfill its responsibilities, we have brought a high profile class action lawsuit on behalf of 4.9 million people who were victimized by wrongful disclosure. When Sutter Health failed to fulfill its responsibilities to thousands of California patients, MDPCE also brought suit on behalf of the victims of that disclosure.
If you made a payment or received a bill from the Contra Costa County Health Services Department, or if you suspect that your records might have been among those disclosed, please contact us immediately to discuss your legal rights.