Sponsor
Timothy Burchett
Representative · R-TN
Representative · R-TN
The bill strengthens detection of duplicate APTC payments and overall marketplace program integrity by matching SSNs across Exchanges, at the cost of a tight 60‑day implementation window that raises administrative burdens, risks enrollment delays, and increases handling of sensitive SSNs.
Taxpayers and consumers receiving advance premium tax credits (APTC): Exchanges will detect and stop duplicate APTC payments by matching identical Social Security Numbers across marketplaces, reducing improper payments and lowering the risk of retroactive reconciliations.
State and federally-facilitated Exchanges: Establishes a standardized cross‑Exchange SSN‑matching process that improves program integrity and makes it easier to detect and resolve duplicate enrollments across marketplaces.
State and federal Exchanges (HHS): The required 60‑day implementation deadline forces rapid IT changes and additional staffing, increasing administrative costs and straining agency budgets and resources.
Applicants and enrollees (including uninsured individuals): SSN‑matching that yields potential duplicates may require manual review and could delay eligibility determinations or enrollment, potentially leaving people without timely coverage.
Applicants and taxpayers: Expanding SSN‑based cross‑Exchange matching increases handling of sensitive Social Security Numbers, heightening risks of data breach or misuse if privacy safeguards and security controls are not robust.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires HHS to add cross-Exchange SSN matching and stop duplicate advance premium tax credit payments within 60 days.
Official title: To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to prevent duplicate enrollments in Exchanges.
Introduced December 9, 2025 by Timothy Burchett · Last progress December 9, 2025
Requires the HHS Secretary to add a process to the ACA Exchange eligibility system that detects when an applicant’s Social Security number (SSN) matches an existing enrollee’s SSN for the same coverage period across any Exchange, and to stop duplicate advance premium tax credit (APTC) payments when duplicates are found. HHS must implement this change within 60 days of enactment and it applies to Federally-facilitated and state Exchanges operating under the law.