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Last Update: 09/15/2026 at 6:33 PM EST
CMS Social Security Number Exposure
Coverage from Rawstory, Politico, and others
What's Going On
A publicly accessible CMS provider database exposed unredacted Social Security numbers linked to healthcare providers, prompting removal of the file, scrutiny of data-validation controls, and warnings about identity theft and fraud.
Additional Articles
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CMS disclosed a provider-directory database with healthcare providers Social Security numbers for public use, reported in 2020 by the Washington Post and criticized by lawmakers over fraud risks.
POLITICO reported CMS took a provider database offline after unredacted Social Security numbers for at least 102 providers appeared in a downloadable file.
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CMS Portal Leak Exposed Physicians’ Social Security Numbers
Washington Post reporting in 2020s USA described CMS provider-directory database exposure of healthcare providers' Social Security numbers, triggering watchdog and congressional criticism.