I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 781 
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 
FEBRUARY 15, 2013 
Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas (for himself and Mr. DOGGETT) 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. 
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 Identity 
Theft Prevention Act of 2013’’. 
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF INCLUSION OF SOCIAL SECURITY 
ACCOUNT NUMBERS ON MEDICARE CARDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 205(c)(2)(C) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(C)) is amended— 
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(1) by moving clause (x), as added by section 
1414(a)(2) of the Patient Protection and Affordable 
Care Act, 6 ems to the left; 
(2) by redesignating clause (x), as added by 
section 2(a)(1) of the Social Security Number Pro-
tection Act of 2010, and clause (xi) as clauses (xi) 
and (xii), respectively; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(xiii) The Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
in consultation with the Commissioner of Social Security, 
shall establish cost-effective procedures to ensure that a 
Social Security account number (or derivative thereof) is 
not displayed, coded, or embedded on the Medicare card 
issued to an individual who is entitled to benefits under 
part A of title XVIII or enrolled under part B of title 
XVIII and that any other identifier displayed on such card 
is not identifiable as a Social Security account number (or 
derivative thereof).’’. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—In implementing clause (xiii) 
of section 205(c)(2)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(C)), as added by subsection (a)(3), the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish 
a cost-effective process that involves the least amount of 
disruption to Medicare beneficiaries and health care pro-
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viders. The Secretary shall consider implementing a proc-
ess, similar to the process involving Railroad Retirement 
Board beneficiaries, under which a Medicare beneficiary 
identifier which is not a Social Security account number 
(or derivative thereof) is used external to the Department 
of Health and Human Services and is convertible over to 
a Social Security account number (or derivative thereof) 
for use internal to such Department and the Social Secu-
rity Administration. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Clause (xiii) of section 
205(c)(2)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
405(c)(2)(C)), as added by subsection (a)(3), shall 
apply with respect to Medicare cards issued on and 
after an effective date specified by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, but in no case shall 
such effective date be later than the date that is 3 
years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) REISSUANCE.—The Secretary— 
(A) shall provide for the reissuance of 
Medicare cards that comply with the require-
ments of such clause not later than 3 years 
after the effective date specified by the Sec-
retary under paragraph (1); and 
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(B) may permit an individual to apply for 
the reissuance of a Medicare card that complies 
with such requirements before the date of 
reissuance otherwise provided under subpara-
graph (A) in such exceptional circumstances as 
the Secretary may specify. 
Æ 
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