PUBLIC LAW 108–173—DEC. 8, 2003
117 STAT. 2381
‘‘(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—The Secretary shall include, as one of the standards developed under subparagraph (A), provider and beneficiary satisfaction levels. ‘‘(C) INCLUSION IN CONTRACTS.—All contractor performance requirements shall be set forth in the contract between the Secretary and the appropriate medicare administrative contractor. Such performance requirements— ‘‘(i) shall reflect the performance requirements published under subparagraph (A), but may include additional performance requirements; ‘‘(ii) shall be used for evaluating contractor performance under the contract; and ‘‘(iii) shall be consistent with the written statement of work provided under the contract. ‘‘(4) INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall not enter into a contract with a medicare administrative contractor under this section unless the contractor agrees— ‘‘(A) to furnish to the Secretary such timely information and reports as the Secretary may find necessary in performing his functions under this title; and ‘‘(B) to maintain such records and afford such access thereto as the Secretary finds necessary to assure the correctness and verification of the information and reports under subparagraph (A) and otherwise to carry out the purposes of this title. ‘‘(5) SURETY BOND.—A contract with a medicare administrative contractor under this section may require the medicare administrative contractor, and any of its officers or employees certifying payments or disbursing funds pursuant to the contract, or otherwise participating in carrying out the contract, to give surety bond to the United States in such amount as the Secretary may deem appropriate. ‘‘(c) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A contract with any medicare administrative contractor under this section may contain such terms and conditions as the Secretary finds necessary or appropriate and may provide for advances of funds to the medicare administrative contractor for the making of payments by it under subsection (a)(4)(B). ‘‘(2) PROHIBITION ON MANDATES FOR CERTAIN DATA COLLECTION.—The Secretary may not require, as a condition of entering into, or renewing, a contract under this section, that the medicare administrative contractor match data obtained other than in its activities under this title with data used in the administration of this title for purposes of identifying situations in which the provisions of section 1862(b) may apply. ‘‘(d) LIMITATION ON LIABILITY OF MEDICARE ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTORS AND CERTAIN OFFICERS.— ‘‘(1) CERTIFYING OFFICER.—No individual designated pursuant to a contract under this section as a certifying officer shall, in the absence of the reckless disregard of the individual’s obligations or the intent by that individual to defraud the United States, be liable with respect to any payments certified by the individual under this section. ‘‘(2) DISBURSING OFFICER.—No disbursing officer shall, in the absence of the reckless disregard of the officer’s obligations or the intent by that officer to defraud the United States,
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