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The HIPAA Journal is the leading provider of HIPAA training, news, regulatory updates, and independent compliance advice.

Brown Health Medical Group-MA Data Breach Affects 312,000 Individuals

Lifespan Physicians Group of Massachusetts, doing business as Brown Health Medical Group-MA, has confirmed that the protected health information of almost 312,000 individuals was potentially compromised in a December 2025 security incident.

There is currently no substitute breach notice on the medical group’s website; however, the data breach was reported to the Vermont and Massachusetts Attorneys General. The breach notices issued to those regulators explain that unauthorized activity was identified in a legacy file server at the practice on December 16, 2025. The server was isolated, and an investigation was launched to determine the nature and scope of the unauthorized activity. The forensic investigation confirmed that the breach was limited to the file server, which was accessed by an unauthorized third party between December 15 and December 16, 2026. The electronic medical record system was not involved.

The server was reviewed to determine the exact types of information stored on the server. The file review determined on June 22, 2026, that the following categories of data were impacted – names, dates of birth, contact information, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers or other government-issued identification numbers, credit or debit card numbers, financial account information, and personnel and human resources records. The latter may have included information such as compensation or payroll information, licensure or credentialing information, and medical or disability-related records.

Steps have been taken to improve security to prevent similar incidents in the future, including implementing enhanced technical safeguards. The affected individuals have been offered complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services for 24 months. The incident affected 290,357 Massachusetts residents and 86 Vermont residents. According to the HHS’ Office for Civil Rights data breach portal, the protected health information of 311,760 individuals was potentially stolen in the incident.

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Author: Steve Alder is the editor-in-chief of The HIPAA Journal. Steve is responsible for editorial policy regarding the topics covered in The HIPAA Journal. He is a specialist on healthcare industry legal and regulatory affairs, and has 10 years of experience writing about HIPAA and other related legal topics. Steve has developed a deep understanding of regulatory issues surrounding the use of information technology in the healthcare industry and has written hundreds of articles on HIPAA-related topics. Steve shapes the editorial policy of The HIPAA Journal, ensuring its comprehensive coverage of critical topics. Steve Alder is considered an authority in the healthcare industry on HIPAA. The HIPAA Journal has evolved into the leading independent authority on HIPAA under Steve’s editorial leadership. Steve manages a team of writers and is responsible for the factual and legal accuracy of all content published on The HIPAA Journal. Steve holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Liverpool. You can connect with Steve via LinkedIn or email via stevealder(at)hipaajournal.com

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