To amend title II of the Social Security Act to prohibit inclusion of Social Security account numbers on Medicare cards, and for other purposes.

Bill: 115-hr-2990
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Richmond, Cedric L. [D-LA-2]
Introduced: 2017-06-21
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Computer security and identity theft

Crime prevention

Department of Health and Human Services

Fraud offenses and financial crimes

Government information and archives

Medicare
Latest action: action_date: 2017-06-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-06-21
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill amends title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services to establish cost-effective procedures for ensuring that Social Security numbers are excluded from Medicare cards.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2990 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 21, 2017 Mr. Richmond 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 inclusion of Social Security account numbers on Medicare cards, and for other purposes.

1. 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 by adding at the end the following new clause: (xiv) 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 (xiv) of section 205(c)(2)(C) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(C) ), as added by subsection (a), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall do the following: (1) In general Establish a cost-effective process that involves the least amount of disruption to, as well as necessary assistance for, Medicare beneficiaries and health care providers, such as a process that provides such beneficiaries with access to assistance through a toll-free telephone number and provides outreach to providers. (2) Consideration of medicare beneficiary identified Consider implementing a process, 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 Security Administration. (c) Effective date (1) In general Clause (xiv) of section 205(c)(2)(C) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(C) ), as added by subsection (a), 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 January 1, 2018. (2) Reissuance The Secretary shall provide for the reissuance of Medicare cards that comply with the requirements of such clause not later than January 1, 2019.