On the recordDecember 19, 2012
Today the House will consider the Medicare Identity Theft Prevention Act, and I urge my colleagues to support it this afternoon. Despite actions taken by this House and Federal agencies, Medicare identity theft continues to be a problem. Medicare's own inspector general issued a report stating that more than a quarter-million Medicare beneficiaries are potential victims of identity theft. This is simply unacceptable. The bill we will consider today makes a commonsense change to Medicare cards that most seniors carry. It will ensure that, in the future, Social Security numbers are not displayed or embedded on these cards, which are issued to every Medicare beneficiary. Seniors spend their whole lives building financial security for their retirement years. They shouldn't have to worry about losing it if someone steals one's Medicare card. ____________________
