Most people in Maine are unaware that all of their health information and, more importantly, basic identity (full name, Social Security number and date of birth) have been handed over to a private corporation without permission or consent and are being made widely available throughout the state to thousands of health care and mental health workers.

They say you can “opt out,” but that just means your medical information is no longer available. Your full name, Social Security number and date of birth are there for the taking.

In my view, this is nothing short of a massive identity theft, and it’s only a matter time until HealthInfoNet is hacked and virtually every citizen in Maine is at risk.

I’m sure HealthInfoNet will insist that their database is secure, but then so were Hannaford, Target and Anthem and the CIA, the Department of Defense and the White House. You can ask HealthInfoNet to remove your identifying information and they will tell you, quite simply, NO.

Mainers have been sold down the river and put at risk for one reason only: to reduce administrative costs for Maine Health.

Mark Koerber

Saco

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