H.R. 781 — Introduced in House

I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 781 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. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Medicare Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2013. 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— (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 Protection 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 providers. The Secretary shall 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 (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 requirements of such clause not later than 3 years after the effective date specified by the Secretary under paragraph (1); and (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 subparagraph (A) in such exceptional circumstances as the Secretary may specify.