[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6645-6648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3827]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------


DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Privacy Act of 1974; Systems of Records

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Health Care 
Financing Administration (HCFA).

ACTION: Notice of proposed new routine use for existing and future 
systems of records.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: HCFA proposes revising the systems notices for all of its 
existing and future systems of records to include a routine use to 
allow for the disclosure of information, without the individual's 
consent, to the Social Security Administration (SSA) in order to enable 
SSA to assist HCFA in the implementation and maintenance of the 
Medicare and Medicaid programs.
    This new routine use is necessary due to the establishment of SSA 
as a separate agency which is not a part of HHS. Prior to March 31, 
1995, SSA and HCFA were components within HHS and, as such, enjoyed the 
benefits of the special relationship afforded members of the same 
Department. One of these benefits was the ability to disclose and 

[[Page 6646]]
exchange data under Section (b)(1) of the Privacy Act as amended.
    With the enactment of Pub. L. 103-296 on March 31, 1995, SSA became 
an independent agency. This has caused SSA and HCFA to examine their 
relationship under the law. This law allowed the two agencies to 
continue to disclose information under Section (b)(1) of the Privacy 
Act as amended for 1 year after enactment.
    As a result of the change in SSA's status, HCFA is proposing the 
addition of a global routine use to all of its current and future 
Privacy Act systems of records listed in Attachment 1. This routine use 
will permit the disclosure of information to SSA under Section (b)(3) 
of the Privacy Act as amended.

EFFECTIVE DATES: HCFA filed an altered system report with the Chairman 
of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of 
Representatives, the Chairman of the Committee on Governmental Affairs 
of the Senate, and the Administrator, Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), on February 
14, 1996. To ensure that all parties have adequate time in which to 
comment, the new system of records, including routine uses, will become 
effective 40 days from the publication of this notice or from the date 
the report was submitted to OMB and the Congress, whichever is later, 
unless HCFA receives comments which require alterations to this notice.

ADDRESSES: The public should address comments to Mr. Richard DeMeo, 
HCFA Privacy Act Officer, Associate Administrator for External Affairs, 
C2-01-20, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850. 
Comments received will be available at this location.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Nelson Berry, Director, Information Liaison Branch, Office of 
Health Care Information Systems, Bureau of Data Management and 
Strategy, HCFA, N3-13-15, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 
21244-1850, Telephone (410) 786-0182.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are publishing this notice to inform the 
public of our intent to continue sharing data with SSA but to do so 
under Section (b)(3) of the Privacy Act which allows for disclosure of 
information for a routine use. This new routine use is required by 
SSA's change in status to an independent agency. This routine use will 
read as follows:

    To the Social Security Administration for their assistance in 
the implementation of HCFA's administration of the Medicare and 
Medicaid programs.

    This proposed new routine use is consistent with the relevant 
provisions of the Privacy Act, namely, 5 U.S.C. 552a(a)(7), 552a(b)(3), 
and 522a(e)(4)(D). Legal authority to release these data under this 
routine use and others previously published is the Privacy Act (5 
U.S.C. Section 552a), section 1106(a) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1306(a)), and 42 CFR part 401, subpart B. Because this proposed 
change will significantly alter the system, we are preparing a report 
of altered system of records under 5 U.S.C. 552a(r).

    Dated: February 9, 1996.
Bruce C. Vladeck,
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.

                                                  Attachment 1                                                  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Number                                                    Title                                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
09-70-0005                      National Claims History (NCH), HHS/HCFA/BDMS.                                   
09-70-0019                      Actuarial Sample Hospital Stay Record Study, HHS/HCFA/BDMS.                     
09-70-0020                      Acturial Sample of Supplementary Medical Insurance Payments, HHS/HCFA/OACT.     
09-70-0022                      Municipal Health Services Program, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                
09-70-0029                      Evaluation of Medicare Competition Demonstrations, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                
09-70-0030                      National Long-Term Care Survey Followup, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                          
09-70-0033                      Person Level Medicaid Data System (aka tape-to-tape), HHS/HCFA/ORD.             
09-70-0034                      Evaluation of Social/Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Demonstrations, HHS/ 
                                 HCFA/ORD.                                                                      
09-70-0035                      Aftercare Evaluation System (AES), HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                
09-70-0036                      Evaluation of Competitive Bidding for Durable Medical Equipment Demonstration,  
                                 HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                                                  
09-70-0038                      Evaluation of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA)      
                                 Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Competitive Medical Plan (CMP)       
                                 Program, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                                         
09-70-0039                      Evaluation of Medicare Alzheimer's Disease Demonstration, HHS/HCFA/ORD.         
09-70-0040                      Health Care Financing Administration Organ Transplant Data File, HHS/HCFA/BDMS. 
09-70-0041                      Evaluation of the OBRA 87 Medicare Payment of Influenza Vaccination             
                                 Demonstration, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                                   
09-70-0042                      Medicare Cancer Registry Record System (SEER), HHS/HCFA/ORD.                    
09-70-0044                      Demonstration and Evaluation of the Medicare Insured Group (MIG) Model, HHS/HCFA/
                                 ORD.                                                                           
09-70-0045                      Evaluation of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment And Long Term Care       
                                 Systems Demonstration, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                           
09-70-0046                      Home Health Quality Indicator System (HHQUIS), HHS/HCFA/ORD.                    
09-70-0047                      HCFA Medicare Mortality Predictor Data File, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                      

[[Page 6647]]
                                                                                                                
09-70-0048                      Monitoring of Home Health Agency Prospective Payment Demonstration, HHS/HCFA/   
                                 ORD.                                                                           
09-70-0049                      Evaluation of the Home Health Agency (HHA), Prospective Payment Demonstration,  
                                 HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                                                  
09-70-0050                      The Medicare/Medicaid Multi-State Case-Mix And Quality Data Base for Nursing    
                                 Home Residents, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                                  
09-70-0051                      Monitoring of the Home Health Agency Prospective Payment Demonstration, HHS/HCFA/
                                 ORD.                                                                           
09-70-0052                      Post-Hospitalization Outcomes Studies, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                            
09-70-0053                      The Medicare Beneficiary Health Status Registry Pilot, HHS/HCFA/ORD.            
09-70-0054                      Evaluation of the United Mine Workers of America Health and Retirement Funds    
                                 Medicare Part B Capitation Demonstration, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                        
09-70-0055                      Implementation and Evaluation of the Staff-Assisted Home Dialysis Demonstration,
                                 HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                                                  
09-70-0056                      Evaluation of the Medicaid Expansion Demonstrations, HHS/HCFA/ORD.              
09-70-0057                      Evaluation of the Medicaid Extension of Eligibility To Certain Low Income       
                                 Families Not Otherwise Qualified to Receive Medicaid Benefits Demonstration,   
                                 HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                                                  
09-70-0058                      Evaluation of the Medicare SELECT Program, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                        
09-70-0059                      The Medicaid Necessity, Appropriateness, and Outcomes of Care Study, HHS/HCFA/  
                                 ORD.                                                                           
09-70-0061                      Evaluation of the Medicare Case management Demonstration, HHS/HCFA/ORD.         
09-70-0062                      Medicare Cataract Surgery Alternate Payment Demonstration Data Base, HHS/HCFA/  
                                 ORD.                                                                           
09-70-0063                      Evaluation of the Medicaid Demonstration for Improving Access to Care for       
                                 Substance Abusing Pregnant Women, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                
09-70-0064                      Individuals Authorized Access to the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA)
                                 Data Center, HHS/HCFA/BDMS.                                                    
09-70-0066                      Evaluation of, and External Quality Assurance for, The Community Nursing        
                                 Organization (CNO) Demonstration, HHS/HCFA/ORD.                                
09-70-0501                      Carrier Medicare Claims Records, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                                  
09-70-0502                      Health Insurance Master Record (Revision Pending), HHS/HCFA/BPO.                
09-70-0503                      Intermediary Medicare Claims Records, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                             
09-70-0504                      Beneficiary Part A and B Uncollectible Overpayment File, HHS/HCFA/BPO.          
09-70-0505                      Supplemental Medical Insurance (SMI) Accounting Collection and Enrollment System
                                 (SPACE), HHS/HCFA/BPO.                                                         
09-70-0507                      Health Insurance Utilization Microfilm, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                           
09-70-0508                      Reconsideration and Hearing Case Files (Part A) Hospital Insurance Program HHS/ 
                                 HCFA/BPO.                                                                      
09-70-0509                      Medicare Beneficiary Correspondence Files, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                        
09-70-0512                      Review and Fair Hearing Case Files--Supplementary Medical Insurance Program, HHS/
                                 HCFA/BPO.                                                                      
09-70-0513                      Explanation of Medicare Benefit Records, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                          
09-70-0515 (Incorrectly         Resident Assessment System and Data Base for Nursing Home Residents, HHS/HCFA/  
 published 09-07-0515)           HSQB.                                                                          
09-70-0516                      Medicare Physician Supplier Master File, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                          
09-70-0517                      Physician/Supplier 1099 File (Statement for Recipients of Medical and Health    
                                 Care Payments), HHS/HCFA/BPO.                                                  
09-70-0518                      Medicare Clinic Physician Supplier Master File, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                   

[[Page 6648]]
                                                                                                                
09-70-0520                      End State Renal Disease (ESRD) Program Management and Medical Information System
                                 (PMMIS), HHS/HCFA/BDMS.                                                        
09-70-0522                      Billing and Collection Master Record System, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                      
09-70-0524                      Intern and Resident Information System, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                           
09-70-0525                      Medicare Physician Identification and Eligibility System (MPIES), HHS/HCFA/BPO. 
09-70-0526                      Commong Working File (CWF), HHS/HCFA/BPO.                                       
09-70-0527                      HCFA Utilization Review Investigatory Files, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                      
09-70-0529                      Medicare Supplier Identification File, HHS/HCFA/BPO.                            
09-70-1511                      Physical Therapists in Independent Practice (Individuals), HHS/HCFA/HSQB.       
09-70-1512                      Peer Review Organization (PRO) Data Management Information System (PDMIS), HHS/ 
                                 HCFA/HSQB.                                                                     
09-70-1514                      HCFA Medicare Severity of Illness Data File, HHS/HCFA/HSQB.                     
09-70-1515                      Resident Assessment System and Data Base for Nursing Home Residents, HHS/HCFA/  
                                 HSQB.                                                                          
09-70-2003                      Completion of State Medicaid Quality Control (MQC) Reviews, HHS/HCFA/MB.        
09-70-2006                      Income and Eligibility Verification for Medicaid Eligibility Quality Control    
                                 (MEQC) Reviews, HHS/HCFA/MB.                                                   
09-70-3001                      Record of Individuals Authorized Entry to HCFA Buildings via A Card Key Access  
                                 System, HHS/HCFA/OFHR.                                                         
09-70-3002                      Health Care financing Administration (HCFA) Employee Building Pass Files, HHS/  
                                 HCFA/OFHR.                                                                     
09-70-3003                      Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) Correspondence Handling and         
                                 Processing System, HHS/HCFA/OFHR.                                              
09-70-4001                      Group Health Plan (GHP) System, HHS/HCFA/OPHC.                                  
09-70-4002                      Beneficiary Inquiry Tracking System, HHS/HCFA/OPHC.                             
09-70-4003                      Medicare HMO/CMP Beneficiary Reconsideration System (MBRS), HHS/HCFA/OPHC.      
09-70-5001                      Medicare Hearings and Appeals System (MHAS), HHS/HCFA/AAO.                      
09-70-6001                      Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS), HHS/HCFA/BDMS.                  
09-70-6002                      Current Beneficiary Survey (CBS), HHS/HCFA/OACT.                                
09-70-9001                      Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) Correspondence and Assignment       
                                 Tracking and Control System (CATCS), HHS/HCFA/OEO.                             
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[FR Doc. 96-3827 Filed 2-20-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-03-M