MATCH IT Act of 2025

This bill aims to make sure a patient’s health records are matched to the right person every time. It tells federal health agencies to set one clear definition and set of rules for “patient matching,” so doctors, hospitals, and health IT systems can track and improve how often they match records correctly. The bill responds to safety risks and waste from mix-ups, like repeat tests and billing problems that cost patients and hospitals money. Lawmakers note that misidentification can lead to medical errors and extra costs, including an average of $1,950 per inpatient stay and 35% of denied claims linked to wrong patient IDs.

The plan requires a national “minimum data set” (the key pieces of information used to match records) to help providers reach a 99.9% match rate, and it adds these standards into federal health IT programs. However, no provider is forced to hit 99.9%. Over time, the standards must be reviewed and updated as technology improves. The bill also creates an optional Medicare bonus for providers who report high match rates (at least 90%, with the threshold reviewed yearly), and these reports won’t be public. Providers can also anonymously share matching data to help improve the system.

• Who is affected: Patients; doctors and hospitals; health IT and electronic health record vendors; Medicare-participating providers.
• What changes: One national definition and standards for patient matching; a minimum data set added to federal health IT requirements; optional Medicare bonus for high match rates; anonymous reporting to HHS.
• When:
  • Within 6 months of enactment: define the patient match standard and the minimum data set.
  • Within 1 year after that: create or update data standards for those elements.
  • Within 6 more months: add the minimum data set to federal health IT certification.
  • Within 24 months after certification: add it to Medicare’s interoperability program.
  • Within 24 months after that: start the optional Medicare bonus measure.