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DoD hit with class action suit for TRICARE data breach

The plaintiffs are also asking TRICARE to give free credit monitoring services to all 4.9 million beneficiaries.

Federal News Network Staff

October 13, 2011 7:45 pm

< a min read

The Defense Department is going to court. An Iraq war veteran hit the DoD with a nearly $5 billion class action lawsuit after a computer tape containing personal and sensitive heath information was stolen from a TRICARE contractor, Next Gov reports.

The suit seeks $1,000 in damages for all 4.9 million TRICARE beneficiaries whose records were on the stolen computer tape.

The suit charges that TRICARE flagrantly disregarded the privacy rights of TRICARE beneficiaries by failing to take the necessary precautions to protect their identity.

The plaintiffs are also asking TRICARE to give free credit monitoring services to all 4.9 million beneficiaries.

This could slam TRICARE with another hefty bill. When the Veterans Affairs Department discovers a data loss, it gives vets credit monitoring services and up to a million dollars annually in identity theft protection at a cost per veteran of roughly $30 a year.

This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily Cybersecurity Update. For more cybersecurity news, click here.