Medicare Common Access Card Act of 2015

Medicare Common Access Card Act of 2015

This bill establishes a pilot program under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act for the purpose of utilizing smart card technology for Medicare beneficiary identification cards. A “smart card” is a secure, electronic, machine readable, fraud-resistant, tamper-resistant card that includes an embedded integrated circuit chip with a secure micro-controller.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must conduct the pilot program in at least three areas in which there is a high risk for waste and abuse, and must give priority in the provision of cards to Medicare beneficiaries who self-identify as individuals whose personal identity and health information has previously been compromised.

In designing the program, CMS must include, among other provisions: (1) regular monitoring and review of Medicare billings and records in order to identify and address inaccurate changes and instances of waste, fraud, or abuse; and (2) reporting mechanisms for measuring Medicare cost savings attributable to the pilot program.

CMS must report to Congress on issues and recommendations related the pilot program within two years of program implementation.