Colorado notifies 1,918 of Medicaid privacy breach

Colorado Medicaid is notifying 1,918 people of an information security breach involving a private contractor employee who sent the information to a personal email account.

The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing on Friday said the information may have been meant for the employee's personal business use. The information includes names, dates of birth, Medicaid identification numbers, addresses, telephone numbers and health conditions. That information is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

The private contractor, Colorado Community Health Alliance, discovered the email the day after it was sent Nov. 21. CCHA spokeswoman Abby Brookover said the employee was terminated, signed a release saying the email had been deleted and a laptop was retained.

Brookover said the case has been referred to federal authorities.