Daines Calls On VA To Better Protect Veterans' Privacy

Press Release

After his own investigation of constituent concerns determined that an unknown number of Montana veterans have had their personal information compromised by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Montana Health Care System, Representative Steve Daines today called on the VA to better safeguard the privacy of veterans and protect them from identify theft.

Daines first heard of the breach in privacy from veteran Kip Braden of Glendive, Montana, who was sent another veteran's file that included Social Security information, birthdate, address and medical diagnosis.

In a letter to the acting director of the VA Montana Health Care System, Daines shared his strong concerns over the breach and called on the VA to implement safeguards to prevent such errors from reoccurring.

"I have confirmed that Mr. Braden is not the only Montana veteran to have private medical records released without permission," Daines wrote. "Like other Montanans who have since seen Mr. Braden's public account of this matter, I was alarmed that your agency does not have in place sufficient safeguards to avoid such damaging violations."

Daines called on the VA to provide proactive protection for veterans whose records were compromised. He also asked the agency to determine how many other records may have been sent to unintended recipients and to take steps to ensure it doesn't happen in the future.

"In short, it is essential that your agency take prompt and decisive actions to protect the privacy of Montana veterans and do everything within your authority to mitigate against the adverse ramifications that injured veterans such as Mr. Braden could experience as a result of your agency's inattentive errors," Daines wrote.

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