Anthem, Inc., the parent organization of Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the hospital administrator for the NYSHIP Empire Plan reported an extensive security breach of their members’ data. Names, dates of birth, member IDs/Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and employment information of current and former members were impacted. In the coming weeks, Anthem will send letters to impacted members with an offer of free credit monitoring and identity protection services.
In the interim, direct inquiries to www.anthemfacts.com or 877-263-7995. The website includes FAQs and will be updated as additional information becomes available. Click here for a direct link.
You should be aware of scam email campaigns targeting current and former Anthem members. These scams, designed to capture personal information (known as “phishing”), are designed to appear as if they are from Anthem and the emails include a “click here” link for credit monitoring. These emails are NOT from Anthem.
DO NOT reply to the email or reach out to the senders in any way.
DO NOT supply any information on the website that may open, if you have clicked on a link in email.
DO NOT open any attachments that arrive with email.
Anthem is not calling members regarding the cyber attack and is not asking for credit card information or Social Security numbers over the phone. For more guidance on recognizing scam email, please visit the FTC website: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0003-phishing.
AFT, NYSUT, & RC 23
Union related posts — specifically concerning the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) or Retiree Council 23 (RC 23).
A Message from NYSUT
As a part of our campaign against the Governor’s destructive agenda NYSUT will be holding a forum entitled —
OUR SCHOOLS, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VOICE
Date and Time: MARCH 5TH FROM 7:00 – 8:30 P.M.
Location: PATCHOGUE-MEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL
Navy (Seal) Lt. Michael P. Murphy Campus
181 Buffalo Ave
Medford, NY 11763
We will be bringing together concerned individuals to speak on the issues of:
Over Testing and Opting Out
School Funding
Loss of Local Control
As well as what actions can be taken to stop the Governor’s plans. More details will be forthcoming,
There is a great deal of activism on Long Island by a number of groups around these issues. They will be supporting us and we will be supporting their events in the coming months, but it is crucial that we have a large turnout for OUR event. Please start notifying our members and allies.
In Solidarity;
Peter L. Verdon
Regional Staff Director
NYSUT Suffolk Regional Office
Social Security Legistlation …
A message fromNYSUT Vice President Paul Pecorale
Social Security legislation to be reintroduced in Senate U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced he will re-introduce the Strengthening Social Security Act when the new Congress convenes in January. Formerly championed by retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), the bill would extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund, on which nearly two-in-three Americans rely for income in their senior years.
With incoming Republican majorities in both houses of Congress, Social Security Works launched a campaign to gain U.S. Senate sponsors for the bill before it’s introduced next month. The goal is to have more co-sponsors for Brown’s bill than Harkin’s bill had last year. To ask U.S. Senate members to co-sponsor the legislation, follow the link on NYSUT Social Security Legislation web page.
RALLY IN ALBANY
Governor Cuomo vetoed the teachers’ “Moratorium” legislation that would have placed a two-year moratorium on the use of Common Core tests in teacher evaluations. Ironically, the legislation was proposed by the governor and agreed to amid great fanfare last June.
In response, NYSUT Leadership has called for a rally prior to, and during the State of the State address on January 7, 2015.
The Regional NYSUT Office has reserved a coach bus (55 seats) to transport members and supporters to the rally. The bus will be leaving from the Suffolk Regional Office in Hauppauge with a tentative departure time of 7:00 a.m. and arrive in Albany around noon. The State of the State is scheduled to commence at 1:30 p.m.. and the bus will plan to leave Albany at 3:00 p.m.
To RSVP for the bus, email Peter L. Verdon, Regional Staff Director, at pverdon@nysutmail.org, or call the Suffolk Regional Office at 273-8822 when it reopens on January 5th.
For more information on the legislation and the govenor’s veto visit the NYSUT website.
NYSUT Members … Take Action Now
Sign the MAC petition telling billionaires and legislators that public schools are NOT FOR SALE!
Opponents of public education — led by a handful of hedge fund and Wall Street billionaires — are trying to cash in on the millions they spent on NYS Senate elections at the expense of public schools in local communities. And they gave millions more to Governor Cuomo.
Their first goal: starve the public school system that serves nearly 90% of our students and privatize education, through subsidies to private and parochial schools and through privately-run charter schools. Please take a few minutes to read the full article on the MAC site and sign the petition.