I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3220 
To establish a smart card pilot program under the Medicare program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 27, 2015 
Mr. ROSKAM (for himself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. DOLD, Mr. BRENDAN F. 
BOYLE of Pennsylvania, and Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and 
Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a smart card pilot program under the Medicare 
program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medicare Common Ac-
cess Card Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. SECURE MEDICARE CARD PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION (PHASE I).— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:44 Jul 28, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3220.IH
H3220
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall conduct a pilot program under title 
XVIII of the Social Security Act for the purpose of 
utilizing smart card technology for Medicare bene-
ficiary identification cards in order to— 
(A) increase the quality of care furnished 
to Medicare beneficiaries; 
(B) improve the accuracy and efficiency in 
the billing for Medicare items and services; 
(C) reduce the potential for identity theft 
and other unlawful use of Medicare beneficiary 
identifying information; and 
(D) reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in the 
Medicare program. 
(2) SITE REQUIREMENTS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
conduct the pilot program in at least 3 areas in 
which the Secretary determines there is a high 
risk for waste and abuse. 
(B) PRIORITY IN TIMING OF DISTRIBUTION 
OF CARDS.—In each site selected by the Sec-
retary under subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
shall give priority in the provision of the identi-
fication cards to Medicare beneficiaries who 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:44 Jul 28, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3220.IH
H3220
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
self-identify as individuals whose personal iden-
tity and health information has previously been 
compromised. 
(3) DESIGN OF PILOT PROGRAM.—In designing 
the pilot program, the Secretary shall provide for the 
following: 
(A) Implementation of a system that uti-
lizes a smart card as a Medicare identification 
card for Medicare beneficiaries. Such a card 
shall contain appropriate security features and 
protect personal privacy. 
(B) Issuance of a new smart card to all 
Medicare beneficiaries participating in the pilot 
program. Such card shall have the Medicare 
identification number of the beneficiary stored 
securely on the smart card chip along with 
other information the Secretary deems nec-
essary. 
(C) A process under which the cards issued 
under subparagraph (B) are used by both Medi-
care beneficiaries and Medicare providers to 
verify eligibility, prevent fraud, and authorize 
transactions. 
(D) Regular monitoring and review by the 
Secretary of Medicare providers’ Medicare bil-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:44 Jul 28, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3220.IH
H3220
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
lings and Medicare beneficiaries’ Medicare 
records in order to identify and address inac-
curate charges and instances of waste, fraud, or 
abuse. 
(E) Reporting mechanisms for measuring 
the cost savings to the Medicare program by 
reason of the pilot program. 
(F) Include provisions— 
(i) to ensure that all devices and sys-
tems utilized as part of the pilot program 
comply with standards for identity creden-
tials developed by the American National 
Standards Institute and the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology and 
Federal requirements relating to interoper-
ability and information security, including 
all requirements under the Health Insur-
ance Portability and Accountability Act of 
1996; 
(ii) to ensure that a Medicare bene-
ficiary’s personal identifying, health, and 
other information is protected from unau-
thorized access or disclosure through the 
use of at least two-factor authentication; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:44 Jul 28, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3220.IH
H3220
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
(iii) for the development of procedures 
and guidelines for the use of identification 
cards, card readers, kiosks, and other 
equipment to verify a Medicare bene-
ficiary’s identity and eligibility for services; 
(iv) to ensure that each Medicare ben-
eficiary participating in the pilot program 
is informed of— 
(I) the purpose of the program; 
(II) the processes for capturing, 
enrolling, and verifying their eligi-
bility; and 
(III) the steps that will be taken 
to protect personal identifying, health, 
and other information from unauthor-
ized access and disclosure; 
(v) for addressing problems related to 
the loss, theft, or malfunction of or dam-
age to equipment and any identifying docu-
ments or materials provided by the Sec-
retary; 
(vi) for development of a hotline or 
other means by which Medicare bene-
ficiaries can contact the Secretary for as-
sistance; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:44 Jul 28, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3220.IH
H3220
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
(vii) for addressing problems related 
to accessing care outside the pilot area and 
cases where the individual faces issues re-
lated to physical or other capacity limita-
tions. 
(4) PRIVACY.—Information on the smart card 
shall only be disclosed if the disclosure of such infor-
mation is permitted under the Federal regulations 
(concerning the privacy of individually identifiable 
health information) promulgated under section 
264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Ac-
countability Act of 1996. 
(5) DISCLOSURE EXEMPTION.—Information on 
the smart card shall be exempt from disclosure 
under section 552(b)(3) of title 5, United States 
Code. 
(b) EXPANDED IMPLEMENTATION (PHASE II).— 
Taking into account the interim report under subsection 
(d)(2) the Secretary shall, through rulemaking, expand 
the duration and the scope of the pilot program, to the 
extent determined appropriate by the Secretary. 
(c) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may waive 
such requirements of titles XI and XVIII of the Social 
Security Act as may be necessary to carry out the pur-
poses of the pilot program established under this section. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:44 Jul 28, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3220.IH
H3220
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
(d) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) PLAN.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report that contains a de-
scription of the design and development of the pilot 
program, including the Secretary’s plan for imple-
mentation. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
REPORT.—Not later than 2 
years after the date that the pilot program is first 
implemented, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
a report on the pilot program. Such report shall con-
tain a detailed description of issues related to the ex-
pansion of the program under subsection (b), rec-
ommendations for such legislation and administra-
tive actions as the Secretary considers appropriate 
for implementation of the program on a nationwide 
basis, and justifications for such recommendations. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
MEDICARE
BENEFICIARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Medicare beneficiary’’ means an individual entitled 
to, or enrolled for, benefits under part A of title 
XVIII of the Social Security Act or enrolled for ben-
efits under part B of such title. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:44 Jul 28, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3220.IH
H3220
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
(2) MEDICARE PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Medicare 
program’’ means the health benefits program under 
title XVIII of the Social Security Act. 
(3) MEDICARE
PROVIDER.—The term ‘‘Medi-
care provider’’ means a provider of services (as de-
fined in subsection (u) of section 1861 of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x)) and a supplier (as 
defined in subsection (d) of such section), including 
a supplier of durable medical equipment and sup-
plies. 
(4) PILOT
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘pilot pro-
gram’’ means the pilot program conducted under 
this section. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
(6) SMART
CARD.—The term ‘‘smart card’’ 
means a secure, electronic, machine readable, fraud- 
resistant, tamper-resistant card that includes an em-
bedded integrated circuit chip with a secure micro- 
controller. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:44 Jul 28, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3220.IH
H3220
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS