This is chapter 24 addressing flawed data this time.  The article said that CVS would not discuss this, well if you are in technology you know what happened, it was a rogue algorithm, in other words a programming error and this is what “The Attack of the Killer Algorithms” is all about.  This time it was private information sent to the wrong people but what’s it going to be next time.  If you read my series on the “Attacks” there’s tons more like this.  This why we need not rush the programming that takes place with developers.  Companies who put rushed deadlines on developers of software and push for releases before their time are fools, but it happens.

Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–How Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You–Updated 3-11-2012

There’s one story above about people who don’t get jobs because data is flawed or mismatched and this is becoming more frequent and let’s not forget the huge profits made here with CVS selling data too.  There’s a few lawsuits floating around out there on this subject and the data sellers should be taxed as they make billions selling data they get for free.  How times do rogue algorithms like this attack the data they sell?  That’s a good question to ponder and it does and is getting to be more frequent. 

Consumers Lose More Privacy With New CoreLogic Credit Reporting–”Score” Marketed For Insurers and Employers To Gain Information-California Prohibits Potential Employers – From Using As Jan 1 - Killer Algorithms Part 8
Independent Pharmacies Not Able to Compete with Big Chains and Fear Going Out of Business–They Don’t Have Same High Levels of Data To Sell to Profit- Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 23

So the patients at Tuffs were screwed with privacy and they get an “I’m sorry” for the mistakes the CVS algorithms made, but let’s don’t talk about the maybe billion dollars they made “selling’ your data too..don’t forget that happens.  The lawsuits below implicate the SEC 2010 statement from Walgreens on their intangible data profits. 

Walgreens And CVS Accused of Selling Customer Prescription Data in 2 Separate Law Suits-Sales for Marketing Data Continues and the Data Bases Gets Larger with Technology

This case fits the “Killer Algorithms” because what to do the recipients do?  They can’t talk to that algorithm and it made decisions and sent out flawed information, matched to the wrong person.  If you haven’t figured it out yet, this is why the entire Occupy movement got started as it’s not what you see but it’s rather the intelligence that runs in the background you DON’T see.  That’s the problem and issue as we base too much of the economy today on algorithms and making money selling data rather than investing in manufacturing and using more technology there. 

Occupying Wall Street–It’s All About the “Attack of the Killer Algorithms”–The Unfair and Marketing Exploit of Ethics Using Math–This Could be a Subject for Michael Moore to Explore and Document In a Movie

So there you have it, Chapter 24 of the Killer Algorithms and stay tuned for Chapter 25 when I find it..sadly the chapters will keep coming.  BD 

CVS Caremark Corp. said Friday that it mistakenly sent letters to about 3,500 Tufts Health Plan members, giving them personal information about the medical conditions and medications of other members enrolled in a supplemental Medicare plan managed by Tufts.

The mistake was due to an unspecified “programming error,” CVS Caremark, pharmacy benefits manager for the Tufts Medicare Preferred Plan, said in a statement.

“We are monitoring this situation and CVS Caremark’s response and outreach to Tufts Health Plan’s Medicare Preferred Plan members,” said Sonya Hagopian, vice president at Tufts Health Plan, which is based in Watertown and operates in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

CVS Caremark spokeswoman Christine Cramer said the company would not discuss the incident beyond what it said in the statement.

http://www.boston.com/Boston/businessupdates/2012/03/cvs-caremark-mistakenly-sends-personal-information-about-drugs-and-medical-conditions-wrong-members-medicare-prescription-plan/yuPzeD7N7uwbJkLSbWrJnO/index.html?p1=News_links

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