MATCH IT Act of 2025

Summary#

This bill, titled the Patient Matching And Transparency in Certified Health IT Act (MATCH IT Act of 2025), would add a new section to the Public Health Service Act to set federal standards and protocols for matching patients to their health records. It directs the HHS Secretary to define a uniform "patient match rate" within 180 days and to review that definition at least every 3 years. It directs the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (the National Coordinator) to identify and adopt a minimum data set to support patient matching within 180 days and to create or adopt data element standards within 1 year. The bill asks that the minimum data set aim to support a 99.9 percent match rate but says entities are not required to meet that level.

The bill requires that HHS incorporate the minimum patient-matching data set into health IT certification criteria within 180 days after the data set is finalized, and that CMS incorporate it into Medicare interoperability program requirements within 24 months after that. CMS must then, within 24 months after incorporation into Medicare program requirements, create (by rulemaking) a voluntary bonus measure in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program for eligible providers who attest to meeting an accurate patient match rate of at least 90 percent (or a rate adjusted by CMS). The bill also requires development of a voluntary, anonymous reporting program for patient matching accuracy and directs CMS to review attestation rates annually and possibly adjust the target rate.

What it means for you#

• Patients: The bill aims to improve how health systems match patients to their records. The bill's findings say this would protect patient safety and privacy and reduce duplicate or overlaid records.
• Health care providers and hospitals: If finalized and adopted into certification and Medicare requirements, health IT systems would need to include the new minimum data set. Providers could voluntarily attest to meeting a match-rate measure to receive a bonus in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program.
• EHR and health IT developers: The National Coordinator will require specific data elements and technical standards for those elements; those requirements would be added to certification criteria.
• Reporting/privacy: Provider attestations would be voluntary and would not be publicly disclosed; the bill also creates a voluntary, anonymous reporting option for matching accuracy.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on specific funding amounts or a Congressional Budget Office score is included in the bill text. The bill requires federal agencies (HHS, ONC, CMS and others identified in the bill) to carry out standard-setting, reviews, rulemaking, certification updates, and a voluntary reporting program, but it does not specify appropriation amounts or direct funding in the text provided.

Proponents' View#

The bill’s findings say accurate patient matching is essential for interoperability and patient safety. Proponents argue the measure will reduce duplicate and overlaid records, protect patient privacy, reduce repeated tests and medical errors, and lower costs associated with misidentification. The bill sponsors intend it to standardize how match rates are measured and to encourage adoption of better matching through certification changes and a voluntary Medicare incentive.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opposition views is provided in the bill text or metadata.