Hotel operator hit by security breach
American hotel operator HEI which operates brands such as Hyatt, Sheraton, Marriott and Westin, says it has been hit by a payment card security incident at 20 of its properties.
It means that the personal and financial data of some customers who used payment terminals in multiple states including Texas, Florida, California, Colorado and Washington DC may have been acquired by hackers.
In a letter of notice, HEI says that “Based upon an extensive forensic investigation, it appears that unauthorized individuals installed malicious software on our payment processing systems at certain properties designed to capture payment card information as it was routed through these systems.”
HEI says that the incident has now been contained and it has taken measures to bolster security across its portfolio.
Health-insurance campaigner Bromberg dies aged 78
Michael Bromberg, the founder of the Health Coverage Foundation and long-time health insurance campaigner, has died from Leukaemia aged 78.
Bromberg was president of the for-profit hospital trade body the Federation of American Hospitals for 25 years, and was its vice-chair until his death. He was involved in lobbying politicians on healthcare issues for decades.
He was a staunch opponent of the planned mandatory health insurance bill proposed by the Clinton administration in the nineties and took on the First Lady who was spearheading the campaign; Bromberg hoped to force a compromise bill. Clinton’s plan was ultimately defeated without having reached that compromise.
Until his death on Aug 12. Mr Bromberg was still involved with the Capitol Health Group, which he founded in 2001.
Chile’s health insurance industry at risk from courts
The health insurance industry in Chile is struggling to remain in business due to the courts repeatedly stopping them from increasing premiums.
Judges in Chile’s courts frequently hear cases brought by consumers in a bid to stop health insurers raising premiums. The plaintiffs always win!
According to the Globe & Mail, there were 130,000 injunctions filed against Chilean health insurers last year and in every case the defendants were not only forced to scrap price increases but to pay plaintiff’s legal fees too.
The issue is causing such a problem for the insurers that analysts are questioning whether private health insurers in Chile can afford to continue.
