IDENTIFICATION OF THIRD-PARTY PAYER SITUATIONS.

SEC. 734. IDENTIFICATION OF THIRD-PARTY PAYER SITUATIONS. Section 1095 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(k) (1) To improve the administration of this section and sections 1079(j)(1) and 1086(d) of this title, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the other administering Secretaries, may prescribe regulations providing for the collection of information regarding insurance, medical service, or health plans of third-party payers held by covered beneficiaries. 110 STAT. 382 “(2) The collection of information under regulations prescribed under paragraph (1) shall be conducted in the same manner as is provided in section 1862(b)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(b)(5)). The Secretary may provide for obtaining from the Commissioner of Social Security employment information comparable to the information provided to the Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration pursuant to such section. Such regulations may require the mandatory disclosure of Social Security account numbers for all covered beneficiaries. “(3) The Secretary may disclose relevant employment information collected under this subsection to fiscal intermediaries or other designated contractors. “(4) The Secretary may provide for contacting employers of covered beneficiaries to obtain group health plan information comparable to the information authorized to be obtained under section 1862(b)(5)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(b)(5)(C)). Notwithstanding clause (iii) of such section, clause (ii) of such section regarding the imposition of civil money penalties shall apply to the collection of information under this paragraph. “(5) Information obtained under this subsection may not be disclosed for any purpose other than to carry out the purpose of this section and sections 1079(j)(1) and 1086(d) of this title.”.