DoingItLocal

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today announced that Connecticut and Massachusetts have reached a $515,000 settlement with Comstar, LLC, a Massachusetts-based ambulance billing vendor, for failing to safeguard sensitive patient information during a March 2022 data breach that potentially affected the Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account numbers, and medical assessment information of approximately 326,426 Massachusetts residents and 22,829 Connecticut residents.

In March 2022, an outside actor accessed, encrypted, and held for ransom certain files and servers maintained by Comstar. In May 2022, Comstar began mailing data breach notices to consumers on behalf of the various entities for which it conducts billing.

“Comstar failed to implement basic, necessary security measures, and as a result exposed the Social Security numbers, medical records, driver’s license numbers and financial information for hundreds of thousands of Connecticut and Massachusetts residents. In addition to a significant monetary payment, our settlement requires Comstar to adopt strong security measures going forward and sends a clear message that Connecticut will continue to aggressively enforce our data security laws,” said Attorney General Tong.

The consent judgement, filed in Hartford Superior Court today and which is awaiting court approval, resolves allegations that Comstar violated Connecticut and Massachusetts security and consumer protection laws and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) by failing to maintain an adequate Written Information Security Program (WISP) to prevent the initial attack. When implemented, WISPs help to identify and assess reasonably foreseeable risks and evaluate and improve the effectiveness of existing safeguards, including proper employee training and compliance.  Further, Comstar failed to conduct regular risk assessments and failed to implement reasonable data retention, encryption, and access control policies and procedures.  

In addition to the monetary payment, Comstar will be required to implement phishing protection software, a vulnerability management program, multi-factor authentication, an asset inventory, an intrusion detection/prevention system, a security incident and event management platform, and security software for laptops and desktops on Comstar’s network. In addition, Comstar will also be required to conduct a security assessment once per year for three years and transmit the findings of those reports to the Massachusetts and Connecticut AGOs.

Assistant Attorney General Laura Martella and Deputy Associate Attorney General Michele Lucan, Chief of the Privacy and Data Security Section assisted the Attorney General in this matter.

Senators roll out Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn the Trump VA’s new policy ending abortion care and counseling for veterans

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Committee Democrats today introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the Trump Administration’s new rule ending abortion counseling entirely and abortion care for veterans who have been raped or whose pregnancy is threatening their health.

“The Trump VA’s new policy’s primary purpose is to prevent women who are victims of rape or incest or whose health is at risk from receiving abortion care. We cannot let the Trump Administration deprive women veterans of essential health care so they can score cheap political points. Our Congressional Review Act resolution aims to overturn this cruel, misguided action. If my Republican colleagues really believe in protecting women veterans who have been raped or whose health is at risk, they can prove it— simply support this resolution,” said Ranking Member Blumenthal.

“Trump’s VA abortion ban is a profound betrayal of women who put their lives on the line for our country—ripping away access to abortion care even when a woman is raped or her pregnancy endangers her health. If the Trump administration thought they could quietly implement this extreme abortion ban and get away with it, they thought wrong—we won’t stop being loud about this. Trump’s policy not only rips away VA’s already-limited ability to provide abortion care, but it gags VA providers from even talking to their veteran patients about their health care options. It does not get more extreme than this. I hope every Senator will join me in fighting to overturn Trump’s abortion ban at VA and restore essential health care for our veterans,” said Senator Murray.

“The Trump administration seems hellbent on abandoning our veterans by withholding lifesaving health care. But Senate Democrats will not let this happen without a fight,” said Leader Schumer. “The rule by the Trump administration is just another cruel step toward their clear, extreme goal of a national abortion ban, an idea that is way out of step with the American people. This CRA gives senators the opportunity to support the health and safety of the servicemembers who sacrifice to keep our country safe,” said Leader Schumer.

The joint resolution is cosponsored by Committee members U.S. Senators Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

The CRA is also endorsed by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Vet Voice Foundation, Minority Veterans of America, Common Defense and twelve other organizations dedicated to protecting the rights and freedoms of our nation’s veterans, including Modern Military Association of America, Service Women’s Action Network, Reproductive Freedom for All, National Partnership for Women & Families, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Center for Reproductive Rights, Guttmacher Institute, National Council of Jewish Women, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and Power to Decide.

“The VA exists to serve all who served, including women in need of abortion counseling in extenuating circumstance. With nearly 70% of our members overwhelmingly supporting women veterans’ access to care post-Dobbs, IAVA applauds the CRA action taken in both the House and Senate, which would ensure that timely and necessary care is continued,” said Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, CEO of IAVA.

“After all that veterans have sacrificed to defend our freedoms, it is appalling to strip them of the right to make their own health care decisions. We applaud every lawmaker who signed onto this resolution condemning the rule to ban abortion care and counseling at the VA, including in cases of rape or incest, and we urge both chambers to act swiftly to overturn this extreme policy that puts veterans’ health and safety at risk,” said the group of twelve organizations.

“Veterans were promised care, dignity, and respect when they raised their right hand to serve. This decision breaks that promise. Stripping veterans of access to abortion care and even basic medical counseling is cruel, medically dangerous, and fundamentally dishonest. Veterans, especially women veterans, face higher rates of complicated and high-risk pregnancies because of their service. Denying them full, evidence-based reproductive healthcare is not about protecting life, it is about imposing ideology at the expense of veterans’ health and autonomy. The VA exists to serve veterans, not to make their most personal medical decisions for them,” said Janessa Goldbeck, CEO, Vet Voice Foundation.

“With the stroke of a pen, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) increased the risk of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity by reducing veterans’ access to basic, necessary, and life-saving reproductive health care. The removal of abortion care and counseling places veterans at further risk, particularly women and gender-diverse veterans who have already sacrificed their health in service to this country. These actions are not merely administrative or ideological policy shifts; they are dangerous barriers to essential medical care. To uphold its mission to serve those who have served, the VA must withdraw this policy. Abortion care and counseling are not simply about choice, they are matters of health, human rights, and survival. Preserving access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care is essential to honoring the service, sacrifices, and dignity of women and minority veterans,” said Lindsay Church, Executive Director of Minority Veterans of America.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs banning reproductive healthcare is a profound betrayal of those who have sacrificed for our country. By eliminating comprehensive healthcare access, that veterans have earned, this ban disregards the overwhelming public opposition demonstrated by thousands of comments, many made by Common Defense members. It’s essential that Congress overturn this ban and prioritize the health and well-being of our veterans. Our service members deserve better than this callous erosion of their rights,” said Naveed Shah, Political Director of Common Defense.

This CRA follows a new final rule filed by the Trump Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to end VA’s ability to provide these services to veterans. A CRA resolution is an oversight tool Congress can use to overturn final rules issues by federal agencies with a simple majority vote. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Health Julia Brownley (D-CA) and Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA) also introduced a companion CRA resolution in the House to overturn this rule.

In September 2022, VA began to offer abortion counseling to all pregnant veterans and CHAMPVA beneficiaries, and abortion in cases of rape, incest, or life or health endangerment of the veteran or CHAMPVA beneficiary. This was in response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, which created urgent risks to the lives and health of pregnant veterans and CHAMPVA beneficiaries in states that banned or otherwise severely restricted access to abortion.

Prior to the publication of the final rule, the Trump Department of Justice issued a memo banning this abortion care and counseling at VA, and the Trump VA issued its own internal memo implementing this new policy immediately. This follows the Trump VA’s announcement in August of its intent to issue this change in a proposed rule.

More than 462,000 women veterans of reproductive age are enrolled in VA health care, and more than 112,000 women of reproductive age are enrolled in CHAMPVA. More than half of these women live in states that have enacted abortion bans or restrictions.