Texas and Alabama Healthcare Providers Settle Data Breach Lawsuits for $1.5M
HIPAA Journal
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Contributed by: Drex DeFord
Summary
Dental Group of Amarillo in Texas and Heart South Cardiovascular Group in Alabama recently agreed to settle class action lawsuits over data breaches: Dental Group of Amarillo will pay $1 million, and Heart South will pay $500,000 to resolve claims. The breach at Dental Group of Amarillo involved unauthorized access in October 2023 that potentially exposed protected health information of 3,821 patients, and delays in breach notification prompted legal action. Under the settlement, Dental Group of Amarillo will fund reimbursements - up to $5,000 per claimant for documented losses or pro rata cash payments (~$125 each) - alongside three years of credit and identity monitoring; deadlines include objections by September 29, 2025 and claims by October 13, 2025. Heart South Cardiovascular Group’s settlement covers up to $5,000 in documented out‑of‑pocket losses per claimant, two years of identity protection services, and pro rata cash payments (around $50 each), with objection/opt‑out and claim deadlines set for September 9 and October 9, respectively.
