The Georgia State Senate has approved a bill that would require senior citizens in the state to acquire a biometric ID card to access Medicaid for health care, according to a WSBTV article.

The new bill, which passed on a 34-21 margin, stipulates the use of fingerprint biometrics for each of the ID cards.

The new measure was introduced as a way to curb Medicaid fraud in the state.

Medicaid recipient’s would be issued a smart card that would store the individual’s fingerprint data. When the patient arrives for an appointment the smart card and fingerprint would be scanned to verify identity. The card would also include the recipient’s photo.

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