[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 135 (Friday, July 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 36772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17727]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988; Notice of
RRB Records Used in Computer Matching Programs
AGENCY: Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).
ACTION: Notice of records used in computer matching programs
notification to individuals who are receiving or have received benefits
under the Railroad Retirement Act.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: As required by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection
Act of 1988, the RRB is issuing a public notice of its use and intent
to use, in ongoing computer matching programs, certain information
obtained from the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA).
The purpose of this notice is to advise individuals applying for or
receiving benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act of the use made by
the RRB of this information obtained from HCFA by means of a computer
match.
DATES: Comments should be received by no later than August 12, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Beatrice Ezerski, Secretary to the Board,
Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois
60611-2092.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Denise LeSeur-Waechter, Office of Programs, Railroad Retirement Board,
844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092, telephone number
(312) 751-3337.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under certain circumstances, the Computer
Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, Pub. L. 100-503, requires
a Federal agency participating in a computer matching program to
publish a notice in the Federal Register regarding the establishment of
that matching program. Such a notice must include information in the
following first five categories:
Name of Participating Agencies: The Railroad Retirement Board and
the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA).
Purpose of the Match: To identify RRB annuitants who are age 66 or
over and who have not had any Medicare utilization during the past
calender year. The general purposes of the match are (1) to verify that
these RRB annuitants are still alive and if alive, to determine whether
the RRB should appoint a representative payee for them; (2) to identify
instances when payments are being made to persons who because they are
deceased are no longer entitled to receive them; (3) to recover any
payments erroneously made; and (4) to identify instances of fraud, and
where established and warranted, to initiate prosecution.
Authority for Conducting the Match: 45 U.S.C. Section 231f(b)(7).
This section requires that the Secretary of Health and Human Services
provide information pertinent to the administration of the Railroad
Retirement Act. The death of an annuitant under that Act is a
terminating event.
Categories of Records and Individuals Covered: All annuitants under
the Railroad Retirement Act who are age 66 or over and who have had no
Medicare utilization during the previous calendar year. The RRB records
used in this matching program are covered under Privacy Act system of
records, RRB-22, Railroad Retirement, Survivor, and Pensioner Benefit
System. The HCFA records used in this matching program are covered
under Privacy Act system of records HHS/HCFA/BPO 09-70-0526, Common
Working File.
Inclusive Dates of the Matching Program: The life of this agreement
is 18 months; the match will be conducted no more than three times
during this period.
Procedure: HCFA will furnish the RRB with a computer tape of
annuitants under the Railroad Retirement Act who, according to HCFA
records, are age 66 or older and have had no Medicare utilization
during the previous calendar year. After excluding certain categories
of individuals for whom no follow-up action will be taken, the RRB will
contact the remaining identified individuals to determine whether they
are still alive and if so to determine whether the RRB needs to appoint
a representative payee to ensure that the benefits to which they are
entitled are properly expended on their behalf. If the RRB establishes
that an individual so identified in the match is deceased it will
terminate the annuity, and if there are any benefits that were
improperly paid, it will take action to recover them. In addition, if
there is any indication of fraud, the RRB will evaluate whether
prosecution should be initiated against the person or persons who acted
fraudulently. No action will be taken with respect to the individuals
excluded from the monitoring program.
The public information collection represented by the follow-up
action for the individuals identified by the matching program was
previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB 3220-
0178). A request for re-approval is pending.
Other information: The notice we are giving here is in addition to
any individual notice.
A copy of this notice has been or will be furnished to both Houses
of Congress and the Office of Management and Budget.
Dated: July 5, 1996.
By authority of the Board.
Beatrice Ezerski,
Secretary to the Board.
[FR Doc. 96-17727 Filed 7-11-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M