Partner
NEW YORK, NY – [February 6, 2025] – Woods Lonergan PLLC is investigating a potential class action lawsuit against Community Health Center, Inc. (CHC) of Connecticut, a primary medical care provider, following a major data breach affecting over 1 million individuals, with the vast majority in Connecticut.
Headquartered in Middletown, Connecticut, CHC operates across the state with locations in cities including Middletown, Hartford, New Britain, Bristol, Waterbury, and Stamford. Founded in 1972, CHC offers a wide range of services including primary care, dentistry, behavioral health, urgent care, and specialty medical services.
The data breach, occurring from mid-October 2024 to its discovery on January 2, 2025, potentially exposed sensitive personal and medical information of nearly 1 million patients.
This breach potentially compromised a large amount of sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI), including:
- Names, Dates of Birth, and Contact Information
- Social Security Numbers (SSN)
- Addresses and Phone Numbers
- Email Addresses
- Medical Information (diagnoses, treatment details, test results)
- Health Insurance Information
If you believe your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or Protected Health Information (PHI) has been compromised in the Community Health Center Data Breach, call our law offices at (212) 684-2500 or Schedule a Confidential Consultation with our Data Breach Lawyers today.
Details of the Community Health Center Data Breach and Alleged Negligence:
Community Health Center, a major healthcare provider in Connecticut, discovered a data breach on January 2, 2025, with unauthorized access potentially starting in mid-October 2024. CHC provides comprehensive primary care in medicine, dentistry, and behavioral health, serving over 145,000 active patients across Connecticut. Notification letters to affected individuals began on January 30, 2025.
The data breach potentially affects 1,060,936 individuals nationwide, with a significant portion, 1,008,519 individuals, residing in Connecticut. CHC has indicated that compromised patient health records “may have been accessed or taken,” potentially including names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, emails, diagnoses, treatment details, test results, Social Security Numbers (SSN), and health insurance information.
For individuals who received only a COVID test or vaccine at Community Health Center at one of their Connecticut locations, impacted information may include name, date of birth, phone number, email, address, gender, race, ethnicity, insurance information, and possibly vaccine details. Concerns have been raised regarding the delay between the breach in October 2024 and the discovery and notification in January 2025, prompting investigations into CHC’s data security measures and response protocols. The disruption caused by this breach at a healthcare provider focused on vulnerable populations raises significant concerns about future access to essential medical services.
The lawsuit under investigation will allege negligence by Community Health Center in failing to adequately protect patient data and provide timely notification. This alleged negligence may violate HIPAA, Connecticut state data breach laws, and other regulations.
“‘The sheer scale of this data breach, impacting over a million individuals, primarily in Connecticut, is alarming, especially considering Community Health Center’s critical role in providing care to communities with limited access to healthcare,’ said Jim Woods, Managing Partner of Woods Lonergan PLLC. ‘The types of data exposed are incredibly sensitive, and the delay in discovery and notification raises serious questions about Community Health Center’s data security practices and their commitment to protecting vulnerable patients. We are committed to thoroughly investigating this breach and fighting for the rights of those affected to ensure they receive justice and appropriate compensation.'”
Impact to Victims of the Data Breach:
The data breach places over a million individuals at risk of identity theft, medical identity theft, financial fraud, and emotional distress. The exposure of Social Security numbers, medical records, and health insurance information can cause significant and long-lasting harm, particularly given the vulnerable populations served by Community Health Center. Cybercriminals may have already sold the compromised information on the dark web, increasing the immediate risk.
Legal Claims:
The investigation focuses on potential violations of:
- HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act): Protecting patient health information.
- Connecticut Data Breach Notification Laws: Violations of Connecticut state laws regarding data breach notification and security.
- Negligence: Community Health Center’s failure to adequately protect sensitive patient data.
If you believe your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or Protected Health Information (PHI) has been compromised in the Community Health Center Data Breach, call our law offices at (212) 684-2500 or Schedule a Confidential Consultation with our Data Breach Lawyers today.
Woods Lonergan PLLC is a leading New York-based litigation firm specializing in class action lawsuits and data privacy litigation. With over 30 years of experience, our firm is a leader in complex litigation and trial law in the New York Metro Area, collaborating with co-counsel throughout the United States.
Our firm is currently representing plaintiffs in the 23andMe data Breach Lawsuit, wherein a proposed settlement of $30 million dollars is pending approval in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Woods Lonergan has a proven track record of successfully holding large corporations accountable for failing to protect highly sensitive consumer data.
[2] Community Health Center Data Breach Impacts Over 1 Million Individuals. HIPAA Journal. https://www.hipaajournal.com/community-health-center-data-breach/. Published February 2, 2025. Accessed February 6, 2025.
[3] Patient info accessed in Middletown-based Community Health Center data breach. WTNH.com.https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/middlesex/patient-info-accessed-in-middletown-based-community-health-center-data-breach/. Published February 1, 2025. Accessed February 6, 2025.
[4] Data breach at US healthcare provider CHC impacts 1 million patients. BleepingComputer.https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/data-breach-at-us-healthcare-provider-chc-impacts-1-million-patients/. Published February 1, 2025. Accessed February 6, 2025.
[5] Connecticut patient data affected by 2025 Community Health Center hack. fox61.com. https://www.fox61.com/article/money/consumer/connecticut-community-health-center-hack-data-breach-patient-info-impact/520-368f0fa8-323c-46ae-b214-ba6e3933f1cf. Published February 4, 2025. Accessed February 6, 2025.
[6] Response to Data Incident. IDX. https://response.idx.us/CommunityHealthCenter/. Accessed February 6, 2025.