Today, the House Ways and Means Committee is considering H.R. 6690, the Fighting Fraud to Protect Care for Seniors Act of 2018, sponsored by Health Subcommittee Chairman Peter Roskam (R-IL) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). To crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse, this bill establishes a three-year pilot program to test the use of new technologies to strengthen the integrity of the Medicare program.

Joyce Rogers, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs of AARP, wrote to Chairman Roskam and Rep. Blumenauer in support of the legislation, saying:

“Your legislation will create a pilot program to test the use of secure ‘smart cards’ in Medicare, helping to reduce fraud and beneficiary ID theft. … This technology deserves to be tested and evaluated.”

CLICK HERE or read below to see the letter.

Dear Representative Roskam and Representative Blumenauer:

We are pleased to support the Fighting Fraud to Protect Care for Seniors Act of 2018 (H.R. 6690). Your legislation will create a pilot program to test the use of secure “smart cards” in Medicare, helping to reduce fraud and beneficiary ID theft.

AARP, with its nearly 38 million members in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, nationwide organization that helps empower people to choose how they live as they age, strengthens communities, and fights for the issues that matter most to families, such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse.

Older Americans are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of identity theft because Medicare cards visibly contain the beneficiary’s Social Security Number (SSN). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is in the process of rolling out new Medicare cards, which no longer display the SSN. While the new cards are more secure than before, “smart cards” could provide even greater security, and have the potential to contain useful health information and facilitate care. If enacted, this pilot program would also help Medicare learn more about beneficiary engagement and education. This technology deserves to be tested and evaluated.

Combating fraud and abuse is about more than just saving money, it is about protecting beneficiaries and improving care. AARP looks forward to working with you on this important issue. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or have your staff contact Andrew Scholnick of our Government Affairs staff at 202-434-3770 or ascholnick@aarp.org.

Sincerely,

Joyce A. Rogers

Senior Vice President

Government Affairs