{"id":12683,"date":"2017-08-25T16:35:00","date_gmt":"2017-08-25T16:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2017\/08\/25\/aetna-mailer-accidentally-reveals-hiv-status-of-up-to-12000-customers\/"},"modified":"2017-08-25T16:35:00","modified_gmt":"2017-08-25T16:35:00","slug":"aetna-mailer-accidentally-reveals-hiv-status-of-up-to-12000-customers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/aetna-mailer-accidentally-reveals-hiv-status-of-up-to-12000-customers\/","title":{"rendered":"Aetna Mailer Accidentally Reveals HIV Status Of Up To 12,000 Customers"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Merrit Kennedy<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

\n A photo provided by the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania shows an Aetna mailer in which a reference to HIV medication is partly visible though the envelope window.<\/p>\n


\n AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
\n <\/a><\/b>hide caption<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

toggle caption<\/b><\/b><\/div>\n


\n AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
\n <\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The health insurer Aetna is facing criticism for revealing the HIV status of potentially thousands of customers after it sent out a mailer in which information about ordering prescription HIV drugs was clearly visible through the envelope’s clear window.<\/p>\n

For example, in a letter sent to a customer in Brooklyn, N.Y., the window revealed considerably more than the address. It also showed the beginning of a letter advising the customer about options “when filling prescriptions for HIV Medic … “<\/p>\n

Aetna says approximately 12,000 customers were sent the mailer on July 28 that potentially revealed private medical information, though the company says it isn’t clear exactly how many were affected, because it depends on how the letter was positioned in the envelope.<\/p>\n

“We sincerely apologize to those affected by a mailing issue that inadvertently exposed the personal health information of some Aetna members,” the company said in a statement. “This type of mistake is unacceptable, and we are undertaking a full review of our processes to ensure something like this never happens again.”<\/p>\n