CMS Pub. 100-09, ch. 6, § 30.7.9

In addition to the guidelines outlined above, MACs shall use the following instructions to respond to

Members of Congress:

A – Sending the Response

Generally, MACs send the original and the courtesy copy of the reply to the Washington, D.C.

office of the Member of Congress. However, if the inquiry came from a home office, MACs

direct the original and the courtesy copy there.

B - Replying to a Letter Signed by More Than One Member of Congress

When replying to a letter signed by more than one Member of Congress, MACs prepare a reply

for each Member and enclose a courtesy copy with each. MACs release the replies to each

Member of Congress at the same time.

MACs state in the opening paragraph that they are sending the same reply to each person who signed

the letter and make an official file copy for each Member of Congress. MACs may use the following in

their final reply:

“Similar information is being sent to (Senator or Representative) (name of Member of Congress) who

also inquired on behalf of (name of provider or beneficiary).”

C - Replying to a Letter Signed by an Employee in a Congressional Office

MACs address replies to the Members of Congress even when staff members sign the inquiries.

D - Replying Directly to a Constituent at the Request of a Member of Congress

When addressing a reply to a constituent, MACs send a courtesy letterhead copy to the Member

of Congress, along with a copy of the constituent’s letter.

E - Replying to an Inquiry from Former Members of Congress

Unless the former Member of Congress requests otherwise, MACs address the reply to the

constituent. The MAC shall send a courtesy copy to the former Member of Congress.

F – Addressing the response

The Honorable (full name) or The Honorable (full name)

United States Senate House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear

Senator/Congressman/Congresswoman/Mr.

Chairman (surname):

Washington, D.C. 205l5

Dear Congressman/Congresswoman

(surname):

When replying to a home office, address the letter:

The Honorable (full name) The Honorable (full name)

United States Senator Member, United States House of

(local address) Representatives

Dear Senator (surname): (local address)

Dear Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms./Dr. (surname):

G - Courtesy Copies

MACs prepare a courtesy copy for each congressional response if the congressional office

indicated by telephone or letter it wants one. If the response contains an SSN, MACs must redact

the SSN in the courtesy copy to the congressional office. Document the file if the Member of

Congress indicates they don’t need a copy.

H - Constituent’s Letter

Members of Congress frequently forward the constituent’s letter for assistance in replying.

MACs should return the constituent’s letter, if it’s original, with the first written response unless

it contains an SSN.

When the constituent’s letter is the only enclosure, on the courtesy copy and all other copies of the reply

(but NOT ON ORIGINAL), the MAC shall type:

Enclosure:

Constituent’s inquiry

When MACs forward an enclosure in addition to the constituent’s letter to the Member of Congress:

• On the original only, at the left margin two lines below the signer’s title, MACs shall

type: Enclosure

• On the copies, start at the same place (at the left margin), MACs shall type:

Enclosures 2: Including constituent’s inquiry.