I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5714 

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to prohibit the inclusion of 

Social Security account numbers on Medicare cards. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 13, 2010 

Mr. DOGGETT (for himself, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. BLUMENAUER, 

Mr. WILSON of Ohio, Ms. KILROY, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. 

HILL, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK of Arizona, Mr. STARK, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. 

GORDON of Tennessee, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. CAMP, Mr. HERGER, Mr. 

BRADY of Texas, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of 

Texas, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. LINDER, Mr. MCDERMOTT, and Mr. 

FARR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Ways and Means 

A BILL 

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to prohibit 

the inclusion of Social Security account numbers on 

Medicare cards. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medicare Identity 

5 Theft Prevention Act of 2010’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF INCLUSION OF SOCIAL SECURITY 

2 ACCOUNT NUMBERS ON MEDICARE CARDS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 205(c)(2)(C) of the Social 

4 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(C)), as amended by 

5 section 1414(a)(2) of the Patient Protection and Afford6 able Care Act (Public Law 111–148), is amended by add7 ing at the end the following new clause: 

8 ‘‘(xi) The Secretary of Health and Human Services, 

9 in consultation with the Commissioner of Social Security, 

10 shall establish cost-effective procedures to ensure that a 

11 social security account number (or any derivative thereof) 

12 is not displayed, coded, or embedded on the Medicare card 

13 issued to an individual who is entitled to benefits under 

14 part A of title XVIII or enrolled under part B of title 

15 XVIII and that any other identifier displayed on such card 

16 is easily identifiable as not being the social security ac17 count number (or a derivative thereof).’’. 

18 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amendment made by 

20 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to Medicare 

21 cards issued on and after an effective date specified 

22 by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, but 

23 in no case shall such effective date be later than the 

24 date that is 24 months after the date adequate fund25 ing is provided pursuant to subsection (d)(2). 


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1 (2) REISSUANCE.—Subject to subsection (d)(2), 

2 in the case of individuals who have been issued such 

3 cards before such date, the Secretary of Health and 

4 Human Services— 

5 (A) shall provide for the reissuance for 

6 such individuals of such a card that complies 

7 with such amendment not later than 3 years 

8 after the effective date specified under para9 graph (1); and 

10 (B) may permit such individuals to apply 

11 for the reissuance of such a card that complies 

12 with such amendment before the date of 

13 reissuance otherwise provided under subpara14 graph (A) in such exceptional circumstances as 

15 the Secretary may specify. 

16 (c) OUTREACH PROGRAM.—Subject to subsection 

17 (d)(2), the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 

18 consultation with the Commissioner of Social Security, 

19 shall conduct an outreach program to Medicare bene20 ficiaries and providers about the new Medicare card pro21 vided under this section. 

22 (d) REPORT TO CONGRESS AND LIMITATIONS ON EF23 FECTIVE DATE.— 

24 (1) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the 

25 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 


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1 Health and Human Services, acting through the Ad2 ministrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

3 Services and in consultation with the Commissioner 

4 of Social Security, shall submit to Congress a report 

5 that includes detailed options regarding the imple6 mentation of this section, including line-item esti7 mates of and justifications for the costs associated 

8 with such options and estimates of timeframes for 

9 each stage of implementation. In recommending 

10 such options, the Secretary shall take into consider11 ation, among other factors, cost-effectiveness and 

12 beneficiary outreach and education. 

13 (2) LIMITATION; MODIFICATION OF DEAD14 LINES.—With respect to the amendment made by 

15 subsection (a), and the requirements of subsections 

16 (b) and (c)— 

17 (A) such amendment and requirements 

18 shall not apply until adequate funding is appro19 priated pursuant to paragraph (3) to implement 

20 the provisions of this section, as determined by 

21 Congress; and 

22 (B) any deadlines otherwise established 

23 under this section for such amendment and re24 quirements are contingent upon the receipt of 


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1 adequate funding (as determined in subpara2 graph (A)) for such implementation. 

3 The previous sentence shall not affect the timely 

4 submission of the report required under paragraph 

5 (1). 

6 (3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to any 

8 amounts made available to the Secretary of 

9 Health and Human Services for the Program 

10 Management Account of the Centers for Medi11 care & Medicaid Services for administrative ex12 penses and to the Commissioner of Social Secu13 rity for administrative expenses, and subject to 

14 subparagraph (B), taking into consideration the 

15 report submitted under paragraph (1), there 

16 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as 

17 are necessary to carry out the previous sub18 sections of this section, including section 

19 205(c)(2)(C)(xi) of the Social Security Act, as 

20 added by subsection (a), for each of the five fis21 cal years beginning after the date of submittal 

22 of the report under paragraph (1). 


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1 (B) LIMITATION.—Such funds are not au2 thorized to be appropriated until after receipt of 

3 the report provided under paragraph (1). 

Æ 


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