For Immediate Release
July 25, 2008 |
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Cullen Schwarz
Office: 202.225.4961
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Bill to Curb Identity Theft Introduced |
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Levin Co-sponsored Legislation Would Help Protect Medicare Patients’ Financial Security |
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(Washington D.C.)- Congressman Sander Levin applauded today the introduction of legislation to help protect seniors and the disabled from identity theft. The bill, H.R. 6600, of which Rep. Levin is an original cosponsor, would require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to phase out the display of Medicare beneficiaries’ Social Security numbers on Medicare cards to reduce the likelihood that patients’ numbers can be obtained for use in pernicious identity theft crimes.
“Identity theft is a large and growing problem, and its effects can be very onerous for the elderly and disabled citizens on Medicare to resolve,” said Rep. Levin. “We should take every step available to protect privacy and curb these insidious crimes.”
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Social Security Administration has identified the display of Social Security numbers on Medicare cards as a threat to Medicare beneficiaries’ privacy and financial security. The OIG stated in a May 2008 report to the Social Security Commissioner: “Displaying [Social Security numbers] on Medicare cards unnecessarily places millions of individuals at risk for identity theft.” The OIG went on to recommend that the Social Security Administration Commissioner proactively encourage Congress to pass legislation to require phasing out the use of Social Security numbers on Medicare cards.
“One sector of government, the Social Security Administration, urges citizens to avoid carrying their Social Security numbers on their person. Meanwhile, another government agency is printing Social Security numbers on cards intended to be carried,” said Rep. Levin. “It’s not good when the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing, but it’s even worse when the left and right hands are working in direct opposition to each other. The bill we are introducing today will eliminate the contradiction in policies of two federal government agencies, and will protect people’s privacy and financial security.”
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To Contact Congressman Levin: -
Email Congressman Levin In Michigan: 27085 Gratiot Ave, Roseville, MI 48066 | (586) 498-7122 | (248) 968-2025
In Washington: 1236 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 | (202) 225-4961
