Aetna customers in need of prompt financial assistance due to alleged HIV-privacy breaches caused by Aetna may apply for emergency relief, the health insurer recently announced.
The relief program was launched after a mass mailing sponsored by Aetna allegedly violated the HIV-privacy rights of about 12,000 customers. Envelopes with large, transparent windows were used in the mailing, making it possible to see someone’s HIV-related information without opening the envelope.
A third-party vendor who handled the July 2017 mailing on behalf of Aetna hasn’t been publicly identified.
Assisting Aetna in administering the relief program are AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, based in Philadelphia, and Legal Action Center, based in New York City.
Hundreds of Aetna customers from 30 states complained about the alleged privacy breaches. In August, a class-action suit was filed against Aetna, seeking more than $5 million in damages.
“The AIDS Law Project and the Legal Action Center worked with Aetna to develop this [relief] program,” said Ronda B. Goldfein, executive director of the law project. “We are processing the requests and forwarding them to Aetna. Aetna already has compensated a person who needed to be relocated due to the breach.”
A federal class-action suit against Aetna will move forward, despite the relief program, Goldfein added.
“I think that people who were harmed by the breach generally understand this [relief] program is limited to those who have an immediate financial need caused by the breach,” Goldfein continued. “The law project has heard from a handful of people whose circumstances would make them eligible for immediate financial assistance.”
Goldfein alluded to the user-friendly aspect of the relief program.
“We intentionally did not build in a lot of rules and regulations on the provision [for relief]. The goal was to make immediate relief available. We’re letting the situation dictate what happens next.”
New York residents who require emergency relief may contact the Legal Action Center at 212-243-1313 or [email protected]. All other affected individuals may contact the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania at 215-587-9377 or [email protected].
Additionally, affected individuals may contact Aetna directly for emergency relief.
“We will continue to vigorously prosecute the class-action lawsuit [against Aetna] to ensure that the thousands of individuals harmed by this privacy breach receive justice,” said Sally Friedman, legal director of Legal Action Center. “Aetna’s mailing caused serious harm and forever altered class members’ relationships with family, friends, and neighbors.”
In a news release, Aetna said it wasn’t acknowledging any wrongdoing by launching the relief program.
Counseling services will be available to Aetna customers and family members affected by the alleged breaches, according to the news release.
“Determinations of requests for financial reimbursement, payments or counseling services will be made at Aetna’s sole and complete discretion,” the release stated.
Participants of the program will not forfeit their right to pursue legal claims against Aetna, the release added.
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