Erie Family Health Centers Data Breach: Patient Records Exposed

Erie Family Health Centers, a nonprofit network of community health centers in the Chicago area, disclosed a data breach after discovering unauthorized access to certain systems on its network.

Erie Family Health Centers discovered the breach on Jan. 27, 2026, according to a notice posted on its website.

The total number of individuals affected was not specified in the organization's notice.

What happened in the Erie Family Health Centers data breach

On Jan. 27, 2026, Erie Family Health Centers learned of potentially unauthorized access to certain systems on its network, according to the company's notification. Upon discovery, the organization took steps to investigate and respond to the incident, which included the assistance of outside specialists.

The investigation determined that the network was subject to unauthorized access between Dec. 10, 2025, and Jan. 27, 2026. Following that finding, Erie Family Health Centers conducted a thorough review to determine whether information was potentially affected, what types of information were involved and to whom the information related.

The types of information exposed varied by individual. Personally identifiable information (PII) that may have been involved included names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, Social Security numbers, driver's license or state ID numbers, taxpayer ID numbers, passport numbers, financial account information, payment card information, online account credentials, digital signatures, biometric data and dates of birth.

Moreover, protected health information (PHI) may have been exposed, including medical treatment or diagnosis information, prescription information, dates of service, patient ID numbers, encounter ID numbers, provider names, patient account numbers, medical record numbers, Medicare or Medicaid numbers, health insurance information and treatment cost information.

Erie Family Health Centers' response to the breach

Erie Family Health Centers is mailing notice letters to those whose information may have been involved and for whom it has a mailing address.

These letters include details about the incident and steps individuals can take to monitor and help protect their information. The letters also include access to free credit monitoring and identity protection services.

Erie Family Health Centers has established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident, provide access to the free credit monitoring and identity protection services, and address related concerns. The call center is available between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday, excluding major U.S. holidays. It can be reached at 833-297-4842.

Individuals can also contact the organization by writing to Erie Family Health Centers, Attn: Privacy, 1701 W. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60622.

Steps to take if your information was exposed

• Place a credit freeze or fraud alert with all three credit bureaus. Contact TransUnion at 1-800-680-7289, Experian at 1-888-397-3742 and Equifax at 1-888-298-0045 to help prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened.
• Request free credit reports and review them carefully. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228 to check for any unfamiliar accounts or inquiries.
• Monitor financial accounts, payment card statements and Explanation of Benefits forms. Because financial, payment card and health insurance information may have been exposed, watch closely for unauthorized transactions or medical claims for services not received.
• Be cautious of phishing attempts that reference Erie Family Health Centers or this breach by name. Scammers may use details from this incident to craft convincing emails, texts or phone calls designed to steal additional information.
• Change passwords and enable multi-factor authentication on important accounts. Because online account credentials may have been compromised, updating passwords (especially for healthcare portals and financial accounts) is an important protective step.
• Report suspected identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC can be reached at IdentityTheft.gov or 1-877-438-4338, and instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to local law enforcement.