Privacy Act of 1974; Report of New System of Records

요약

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, CMS is proposing to establish a new system of records (SOR) titled "Medicare Drug Data Processing System (DDPS)," System No. 09- 70-0553. On December 8, 2003, Congress passed the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) (Public Law (Pub. L.) 108-173). MMA amends the Social Security Act (the Act) by adding the Medicare Part D Program under Title XVIII and mandate that CMS establish a voluntary Medicare prescription drug benefit program effective January 1, 2006. Under the new Medicare Part D benefit, the Act allows Medicare payment to plans that contract with CMS to provide qualified Part D prescription drug coverage as described in 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Sec. 423.401. As a condition of payment, all Part D plans must submit data and information necessary for CMS to carry out payment provisions (Sec. 1860D-15(c)(1)(C) and (d)(2) of the Act, and 42 CFR 423.322). The primary purpose of this system is to collect, maintain, and process information on all Medicare covered and non-covered drug events, including non-Medicare drug events, for Medicare beneficiaries participating