Health and Community Services
July 10, 2015
Protecting Personal Information
Department Advises of Error in Prescription Drug Program Mailing
The Department of Health and Community Services is advising residents that it has become aware of six instances out of a total of 21,000 mailings where a beneficiary of the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program received a letter intended for another individual.
“We recognize that maintaining the privacy of personal information is important and we apologize for the error. Beneficiaries of the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program can rest assured that we have made contact by telephone with those impacted to inform them of the situation. We continue to work with the service provider to determine the details of the error and ensure this is prevented from happening in the future.”
- The Honourable Steve Kent, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Community Services
On June 29, 21,000 letters were mailed to Access Plan beneficiaries to extend their eligibility in the program until December 31, 2015. The mailing was conducted by Bell, service provider for the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program. The letters contain the beneficiary’s name, mailing address, MCP number and co-pay percentage.
The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has been notified and is aware of the situation. The department continues to investigate the scope of the error and the possibility of other cases. If an individual has received a letter in error, contact Tammy Joy Swyers, Manager of the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program Assessment Office, at 709-643-5466 or tammyjoy@gov.nl.ca.
QUICK FACTS:
- The Department of Health and Community Services has become aware of six instances out of a total of 21,000 mailings where a beneficiary of the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program received a letter intended for another individual.
- The mailing was conducted by Bell, service provider for the program. The letters contain the beneficiary’s name, mailing address, MCP number and co-pay percentage. Known impacted beneficiaries have been contacted by the department.
- The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has been notified and is aware of the situation. The department continues to investigate the scope of the error and the possibility of other cases.
- If an individual has received a letter in error, they are asked to contact Tammy Joy Swyers, Manager of the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program Assessment Office, at 709-643-5466 or tammyjoy@gov.nl.ca.
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Media contact:
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Tina Williams Director of Communications Department of Health and Community Services 709-729-1377, 728-2837 tinawilliams@gov.nl.ca |
2015 07 10 10:00 a.m.