Heart Care Centers of Illinois Data Breach Compromises PHI and PII

Heart Care Centers of Illinois, a physician-owned cardiovascular medical group based in the south and southwest suburbs of Chicago, disclosed a data breach involving unauthorized access to an employee's email account in 2024. The total number of individuals affected has not been publicly disclosed.

On Jan. 15, 2026, the company discovered a breach resulting from a successful phishing attack that gave an unauthorized actor access to an employee's email account. The unauthorized access lasted from Aug. 22, 2024, to Nov. 6, 2024.

The unauthorized activity was uncovered while the company was investigating a separate, unsuccessful phishing attempt. The investigation revealed historical suspicious activity connected to the employee's email account.

A review of the impacted email account was completed on June 11, 2026. It determined that certain protected information may have been subject to unauthorized access.

The types of information potentially exposed varied by individual but included both personally identifiable information and protected health information including names, mailing addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, driver's license numbers or state identification numbers, payment card information, financial account numbers, passport numbers and telephone and fax numbers, medical information (such as treatment, condition and diagnosis details), prescription information, health insurance information and provider information.

The company began mailing notification letters to potentially affected individuals on July 10, 2026. Heart Care Centers of Illinois also posted a notice about the incident through Business Wire.

Heart Care Centers of Illinois' response to the breach

Heart Care Centers of Illinois is offering potentially affected individuals complimentary credit monitoring and identity restoration services through Epiq. The deadline to enroll in these free services is Oct. 31, 2026.

Individuals who have questions or need help enrolling can call the company's dedicated assistance line at 888-616-9388. The line is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time, excluding U.S. holidays.