Program Components:
This page contains answers to Common Questions about User Management. Review this page to learn about how to manage RDS Secure Website user roles, how to change user information, and more. For additional information refer to the User Management section of the RDS User Guide.
- What should be considered when reassigning the Account Manager or Authorized Representative role?
- What should I know about the timing of user role reassignment?
- How do I reassign the Account Manager and Authorized Representative roles?
- How do I cancel a pending user role reassignment?
- How do I assign a Designee?
- How do I change Designee privileges?
- How do I delete a Designee?
- What privileges may be assigned to a Designee?
- Can I change or unassign an Actuary, or switch from having a single Actuary assigned to all Benefit Options to assigning multiple Actuaries to specific Benefit Options?
- What registered user information can be changed?
- What registered user information cannot be changed?
- How do I change my user information?
- How do I change my Password?
- I forgot my Password. What do I do now?
- How do I change my Password if my account is locked?
- How do I change or reset my Security Questions?
- Why do I have to log into the RDS Secure Website once every 180 days?
- What do I do if my user account becomes disabled?
- I can’t remember my RDS Secure Website Login ID. What do I do?
- Why is the RDS Secure Website asking me to verify my email address?
What should be considered when reassigning the Account Manager or Authorized Representative role?
ANSWER: Consider the following when reassigning the Account Manager or Authorized Representative role:
- The Account Manager and Authorized Representative roles must always be active with a current valid user assigned to each role.
- A replacement for the Account Manager or Authorized Representative must be selected when reassigning the Account Manager or Authorized Representative user role.
- An Account Manager and Authorized Representative are each required to be a registered RDS Secure Website User and maintain an active Login ID and Password.
- The Account Manager or Authorized Representative may reassign the Account Manager or Authorized Representative user role if necessary.
- An existing Account Manager or Authorized Representative may be reassigned to the Account Manager or Authorized Representative role, or a new user that meets the qualifications of an Account Manager or Authorized Representative may be invited to register in the RDS Secure Website.
- An individual is allowed only one user role in the RDS Secure Website. CMS' RDS Center validates an individual's Date of Birth and Social Security Number to ensure that each individual has only one user account at a time.
- An RDS Secure Website user must be assigned the same user role for each Plan Sponsor they are associated with.
IMPORTANT: Account Manager (AM) and Authorized Representative (AR) reassignments do not take effect immediately. Please complete all reassignments well ahead of Application and Reconciliation deadlines to ensure smooth transition. A newly appointed AM or AR can be granted access to the RDS Secure Website (SWS) on the same day that the role reassignment is performed. However, that person will not have access to the Plan Sponsor account itself, or any associated applications, until after the termination date of the previous AM/AR has passed. This means the new user cannot view or modify any information for that Plan Sponsor until at least the next day. When reassigning these roles, please remember:
- New AMs & ARs cannot access the Plan Sponsor account on the same day the role is reassigned.
- Registration for a user account does not guarantee same day access.
- Termination Dates cannot be in the past.
- Reassigning a Designee or Actuary to an AM or AR role takes multiple days to complete.
- The AR role has critical functions that only they can perform.
- CMS’ RDS Center does not have a Call Center.
These major concepts are explained in detail in the Reassigning the Authorized Representative (AR) and Account Manager (AM) Roles Technical Article. Please review this material and plan ahead for your Application and Reconciliation Deadlines. Failure to do so may result in a missed deadline and possible loss of subsidy.
For additional information please refer to Reassign the Account Manager and Authorized Representative Roles in the RDS User Guide, specifically the subtopic Things to Consider When Reassigning the Account Manager or Authorized Representative Role.
Answer ID: 500-1
Last Updated: 8/25/2023
What should I know about the timing of user role reassignment?
ANSWER: Keep in mind the following when reassigning user roles:
- Changes to the Account Manager and Authorized Representative user roles cannot be made until the Account Manager and the Plan Sponsor have passed initial validation in the RDS Secure Website.
- When user roles are reassigned, the terminated user will be valid until 11:59PM Eastern Time of the termination date. The new user is effective at 12:00AM Eastern Time on the day immediately following the terminated user's termination date.
- A user terminated from a previous role may be reassigned as the Account Manager or Authorized Representative, as long as that user's previous user role has been terminated from all Plan Sponsors that they are associated with. Allow one day after the user's termination date before assigning the user the new role.
- Both the Account Manager and Authorized Representative roles may be pending reassignment at the same time.
- The Account Manager and the Authorized Representative may be reassigned on the same day, but the termination date must be a different date.
- A pending reassignment may be cancelled prior to the time the reassignment takes effect.
Note: The reassignment of user roles can affect final payments. The Account Manager and Authorized Representative roles must be active.
IMPORTANT: Account Manager (AM) and Authorized Representative (AR) reassignments do not take effect immediately. Please complete all reassignments well ahead of Application and Reconciliation deadlines to ensure smooth transition. A newly appointed AM or AR can be granted access to the RDS Secure Website (SWS) on the same day that the role reassignment is performed. However, that person will not have access to the Plan Sponsor account itself, or any associated applications, until after the termination date of the previous AM/AR has passed. This means the new user cannot view or modify any information for that Plan Sponsor until at least the next day. When reassigning these roles, please remember:
- New AMs & ARs cannot access the Plan Sponsor account on the same day the role is reassigned.
- Registration for a user account does not guarantee same day access.
- Termination Dates cannot be in the past.
- Reassigning a Designee or Actuary to an AM or AR role takes multiple days to complete.
- The AR role has critical functions that only they can perform.
- CMS’ RDS Center does not have a Call Center.
These major concepts are explained in detail in the Reassigning the Authorized Representative (AR) and Account Manager (AM) Roles Technical Article. Please review this material and plan ahead for your Application and Reconciliation Deadlines. Failure to do so may result in a missed deadline and possible loss of subsidy.
For additional information please refer to Reassign the Account Manager and Authorized Representative Roles in the RDS User Guide, specifically the subtopic Timing and Dependencies.
Answer ID: 500-2
Last Updated: 8/25/2023
How do I reassign the Account Manager and Authorized Representative roles?
ANSWER: Refer to Reassign the Account Manager and Authorized Representative Roles for step-by-step instructions.
IMPORTANT: Account Manager (AM) and Authorized Representative (AR) reassignments do not take effect immediately. Please complete all reassignments well ahead of Application and Reconciliation deadlines to ensure smooth transition. A newly appointed AM or AR can be granted access to the RDS Secure Website (SWS) on the same day that the role reassignment is performed. However, that person will not have access to the Plan Sponsor account itself, or any associated applications, until after the termination date of the previous AM/AR has passed. This means the new user cannot view or modify any information for that Plan Sponsor until at least the next day. When reassigning these roles, please remember:
- New AMs & ARs cannot access the Plan Sponsor account on the same day the role is reassigned.
- Registration for a user account does not guarantee same day access.
- Termination Dates cannot be in the past.
- Reassigning a Designee or Actuary to an AM or AR role takes multiple days to complete.
- The AR role has critical functions that only they can perform.
- CMS’ RDS Center does not have a Call Center.
These major concepts are explained in detail in the Reassigning the Authorized Representative (AR) and Account Manager (AM) Roles Technical Article. Please review this material and plan ahead for your Application and Reconciliation Deadlines. Failure to do so may result in a missed deadline and possible loss of subsidy.
Please refer to Reassign the Account Manager and Authorized Representative Roles for additional important information.
Answer ID: 500-3
Date Posted: 8/25/2023
How do I cancel a pending user role reassignment?
ANSWER: Reasons to cancel a pending user role reassignment can include:
- An incorrect termination date can be cancelled and reassigned.
- An incorrect user role reassignment can be cancelled and reassigned.
- A future dated user role reassignment can be cancelled and reassigned.
Refer to Cancel a Pending User Role Reassignment for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 500-4
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
How do I assign a Designee?
ANSWER: Refer to Assign a Designee for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 500-5
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
How do I change Designee privileges?
ANSWER: Refer to Change Designee Privileges for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 500-6
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
How do I delete a Designee?
ANSWER: Refer to Delete a Designee for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 500-7
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
What privileges may be assigned to a Designee?
ANSWER: A Designee may be assigned multiple privileges to assist with a Plan Sponsor's application. Refer to Designee Privileges for a list of privileges and a description of the task associated with each privilege.
Answer ID: 500-8
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
Can I change or unassign an Actuary, or switch from having a single Actuary assigned to all Benefit Options to assigning multiple Actuaries to specific Benefit Options?
ANSWER: Yes, you can change or unassign an Actuary on an RDS application, but only one Actuary can be assigned to an application at a time. You cannot assign multiple Actuaries to an application or to specific Benefit Options on an application. The Actuary can only be changed prior to application submission. If the application has already been attested, the newly assigned Actuary must attest the application prior to the submission of the application. Refer to Manage the Actuary Role for step-by-step instructions for managing the Actuary role.
Answer ID: 500-9
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
What registered user information can be changed?
ANSWER: The following registered user information can be changed:
- First Name
- Middle Initial
- Last Name
- Job Title
- Phone Number
- Text-Enabled Device Number
- Email Address
- Mailing Address
- Password
- A Password can be changed five (5) times in a 24-hour period.
- Security Questions and Answers
- Security Questions can only be changed once in a 24-hour period.
For additional information refer to Manage Registered User Information in the RDS User Guide.
Answer ID: 500-10
Date Updated: 1/25/2024
What registered user information cannot be changed?
ANSWER: The following registered user information cannot be changed:
- Login ID
- Date of Birth
- Social Security Number
- American Academy of Actuaries Membership Number
For additional information refer to Manage Registered User Information in the RDS User Guide.
Answer ID: 500-11
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
How do I change my user information?
ANSWER: Refer to Manage User Information for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 500-12
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
How do I change my Password?
ANSWER: Refer to Change Password for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 500-13
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
I forgot my Password. What do I do now?
ANSWER: Refer to Forgot Password for step-by-step instructions to reset your Password.
Answer ID: 500-14
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
How do I change my Password if my account is locked?
ANSWER: Refer to Change Password If Account Is Locked for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 500-15
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
How do I change or reset my Security Questions?
ANSWER: Refer to Change or Reset Security Questions for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 500-16
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
Why do I have to log into the RDS Secure Website once every 180 days?
ANSWER: Federal Security Regulations require that a user log into CMS' RDS Secure Website (SWS) at least once every 180 days to maintain an active account. Active user accounts are required to complete many tasks in the RDS Program, including completing and submitting applications, receiving payments, and completing Reconciliation. CMS' RDS Center will not make payments to a Plan Sponsor if the Account Manager or Authorized Representative has a user account that is not active.
Users with disabled accounts should refer to Enable Your User Account for more information about maintaining an active account, as well as step-by-step instructions to enable their user account.
As a reminder, the RDS Secure Website is maintained by the U.S. Government and is protected by Federal law. Use of the RDS Secure Website without authority or in excess of granted authority, such as access through the use of another's Login ID and Password, may be in violation of Federal law, including False Claims Act, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and other relevant provisions of Federal, civil and criminal law. Security rules around government systems require users to have valid, appropriate and timely access.
Answer ID: 500-17
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
What do I do if my user account becomes disabled?
ANSWER: If your user account becomes disabled, CMS' RDS Center sends an email with a link allowing you to enable your account. Links are also sent via SMS (text) message if you provided a text-enabled device number to CMS' RDS Center. Refer to Enable Your User Account for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 500-18
Date Updated: 12/14/2023
I can’t remember my RDS Secure Website Login ID. What do I do?
ANSWER: If you have forgotten your RDS Secure Website Login ID, you can request an email be sent containing your Login ID. Notifications are also sent via SMS (text) message if you provided a text-enabled device number to CMS' RDS Center. Refer to Request Forgotten Login ID for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 500-19
Date Updated: 12/14/2023
Why is the RDS Secure Website asking me to verify my email address?
ANSWER: If CMS' RDS Center detects an issue with your email address, you may be asked to verify it after submitting information on the Validate Person Information page or the Login page.
For additional information refer to Verify Email Address in the RDS User Guide.
Answer ID: 500-20
Date Updated: 4/15/2022