MATCH IT Act would address patient ID woes without touching the UPI ban

Congress may finally take meaningful action to address patient misidentification—without reopening the political firestorm around unique patient identifiers (UPIs).

The newly reintroduced MATCH IT Act, backed by CHIME and over 20 healthcare organizations, would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to work with industry leaders to define and standardize the “patient match rate.”

“Right now, there isn’t a consistent industry definition that allows us to really compare patient misidentification,” said Cassie Ballard, CHIME’s Director of Congressional Affairs. “This bill would define and standardize the term ‘patient match rate,’ and account for duplicate, overlaid, and mismatched records.”

Avoiding the UPI fight

The MATCH IT Act is a deliberate workaround to avoid the polarizing debate over UPIs, which are still banned from development by federal agencies due to a longstanding appropriations rider known as Section 510.

“It’s a two-track process,” Ballard explained. “One track is lifting the UPI ban. The other is supporting this bill, which doesn’t touch the ban at all.”

This strategy reflects the reality that opposition to UPIs remains strong among some key lawmakers, notably Senator Rand Paul. By focusing solely on defining and improving patient matching, the MATCH IT Act could make progress where past efforts have stalled.

What the MATCH IT Act would do

The bill calls on HHS to collaborate with stakeholders to establish a standardized definition of patient match rate and to create metrics for tracking performance across health systems. According to the bill text, the Act would:

• Direct HHS to issue guidance within 12 months
• Require a public comment period and stakeholder engagement
• Include definitions that account for match accuracy, error rates, and interoperability outcomes

CHIME is actively building support for the bill and inviting health systems to endorse it. A Congressional briefing will be held on May 13 in D.C. as part of Patient ID Week.

With patient safety, data quality, and interoperability all on the line, the MATCH IT Act represents a rare bipartisan opportunity to improve healthcare identity standards without igniting political resistance.