Effective April 1, 2018, CMS' RDS Center is accepting Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) in retiree files. Plan Sponsors and Vendors should take note that the use of MBI is not mandatory within the RDS Program and that RDS will continue to accept SSN and/or HICN or RRB indefinitely. For information on the use of MBI in RDS retiree file formats please reference the following pages in the RDS User Guide:
- Retiree File Layouts
- Retiree Response File Layouts
- Weekly Notification File Layouts
- Covered Retiree List File Layout and Format
- RDS Reason Codes
CMS' RDS Center will continue to return whichever identifier is provided in the Retiree List; the MBI will not be returned/provided to submitters that use another identifier in the "Medicare beneficiary identifier" field.
Please also review the RDS Program Website New Medicare Card Project Webpage for further guidance on this initiative and how it impacts the RDS Program, including the New Medicare Card Project Webinar Highlights and RDS New Medicare Card Project Webinar Slide Deck.
For more information, contact CMS' RDS Center.