Good thing we have the newspapers and Med Mutual's willingness to communicate -- you're sure not getting it from you-know-where!

From Lloyd Knudsen, November 7, 2008

Subject: Lost Medical Mutual Disks

Hi All!

Just a quick followup note on the missing Medical Mutual disks sent to STRS. Our Akron Beacon Journal reported on October 26 that the disks were lost in the US mail.

Today, November 7, I received a letter dated November 5 from Medical Mutual. The first paragraph of the letter reads as follows. "You might have read in the newspaper that Medical Mutual has reason to believe that a recent mailing of computer disks to the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio) might have been lost or compromised within the US postal system. This mailing contained the personal information of some of STRS Ohio's health plan enrollees. You are receiving this letter because your name and/or your dependent's name, your Social Security number and recent claim costs were included on one of the disks. The disk did not include any mention of medical conditions or treatments."

The letter goes on to say Medical Mutual is investigating the problem. Obviously they have NOT YET found the missing disks.

Because our personal information may be compromised Medical Mutual is offering each STRS affected member a free, one-year subscription to a credit monitoring/reporting agency called TransUnion. Medical Mutual is giving STRS members a gift certificate code to enroll with online. The TransUnion Web site is: http://www.truecredit.com/code The offer is good until January 30, 2009.

Just thought you would want to know the latest on this. To my knowledge STRS has neither commented on nor publicized this problem to their members.

Hope to see many of you on the 13th when we meet with Mr. Nehf.

Lloyd Knudsen