Laura is hopeful! (Heck, I coulda given 'em another stamp)

State retiree data lost in the mail
Insurer says 11 computer disks may have lacked postage; 36,000 people affected

Friday, October 24, 2008
By Suzanne Hoholik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Computer disks that contain personal information about 36,000 Ohio retirees have been lost in the mail, Medical Mutual of Ohio told the state's five retirement systems yesterday.

The 11 disks contain information about members of the School Employee Retirement System and its employees, the State Teachers Retirements System, Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund and the Ohio Highway Patrol Retirement System.

Medical Mutual officials said no medical information was on the disks, but declined to give any more details.

The disks were mailed from Medical Mutual's Columbus office to the systems' central offices in town.

The retiree systems notified the company that the disks hadn't arrive.

Medical Mutual contacted the U.S. Postal Service last week that one package was missing, said Ray Jacobs, spokesman for the Postal Service. Yesterday, the company told the Postal Service that 11 packages were lost.

Company executives believe the disks are somewhere in the system -- not in criminal hands -- and will be located.

"We ask Ohio retirement system members not be alarmed," Jared Chaney, chief communications officer and executive vice president, said in a written statement.

"Our investigation, so far, indicates that insufficient postage was placed on the envelopes, therefore we believe they are likely to still be safe within the postal system."

Jacobs said there is no way to confirm that the packages were even mailed and no way to track them.

The mail recovery center in Atlanta already has been searched, Jacobs said. The Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Inspector General's Office are investigating.

"We're on high alert to recover them if they're in the mail stream," he said.

If the disks aren't located, Medical Mutual will provide credit monitoring services and free credit reports for those affected by the loss. The company also said that it will create a hot line for people with questions.

Laura Ecklar, spokeswoman for the State Teachers Retirements System, said she is hopeful the disks will show up.

"Medical Mutual is working very hard to try to find these disks," she said.

Affected members with questions can call Medical Mutual at 1-800-854-8139 or go to the company's Web site, www.medmutual.com.

shoholik@dispatch.com

For want of a stamp, 36,000 records are lost?