Aetna says client files were unprotected

Paper files containing the names, addresses, Social Security numbers and birth dates of 4,900 Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents enrolled in Aetna Inc. health insurance policies were left in a file cabinet the company was disposing of as part of an office move, the Hartford-based insurer company said today.

The company said the files were returned and it had no reason to believe that the information was or will be misused. Most of the documents were health plan dependent enrollment forms from 2003 to 2007 for people who worked for midsize employers. Those forms did not include medical or banking information, but there were medical explanation-of-benefit forms belonging to a dozen other subscribers that were also returned.

Aetna said it is offering free credit monitoring to any of the affected individuals.    - Jane M. Von Bergen