Benefits: Hot Topics
Social Security Numbers Required for all University Medical Plan Enrollees
Background
A new federal law became effective on January 1, 2009 (Section 111 of the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007), which requires employers and health plan administrators to report certain information for individuals covered under a medical plan. In order to comply with this law, Ohio State is required to collect and report Social Security Numbers (SSN) for all employees and their dependents that are covered by one of the university’s medical plans.
This information is used to assist The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in identifying instances where coordinating benefit plan payments between Medicare and another medical plan is appropriate. Reporting of the information is required, even for individuals who do not currently have Medicare or Medicaid coverage.
How will I be contacted?
The Office of Human Resources has contracted with NGS American, our third-party medical claims administrator, to report this data to the CMS on the university’s behalf. Our office, with the assistance of NGS, will be mailing letters requesting that unreported SSNs be provided to NGS American. If you receive one of these letters please provide, within two weeks, the requested information in the return envelope, by fax, or by calling NGS at 1-866-44-BUCKS (1-866-442-8257).
How will this information be used?
Under new Medicare reporting requirements, NGS American is responsible for:
- Providing data to Medicare on anyone new to a health plan after January 1, 2009, by the third quarter of 2009
- Reporting anyone who is eligible for Medicare, regardless of age, beginning the third quarter of 2009
- Providing data to Medicare on anyone who was active in the plan on January 1, 2009, and prior, beginning in the first quarter of 2010
Ohio State’s data is a valuable asset and is maintained and protected as such. The privacy of university community members and their personal information included in the university’s institutional data is protected to the greatest possible extent. Restricted Data such as Social Security numbers are also protected by federal law. University Benefits works closely with NGS to ensure all data is securely maintained and that the confidentiality of Social Security numbers are not shared with any third party except as required by law.
For more information about OSU’s commitment and policy to data security more information can be found at buckeyesecure.osu.edu/policy/databestpractices and the Restricted Data Elements web site at buckeyesecure.osu.edu/policy/restricteddataelements.
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