[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 10, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11599-11600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6075]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

32 CFR Part 220

RIN 0790-AG50


Collection From Third Party Payers of Reasonable Costs of 
Healthcare Services

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), 
DoD.

ACTION: Final rule with request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: This final rule implements, without embellishment or 
additional requirement, the recently enacted statutory authority to 
collect Social Security account numbers from all DoD beneficiaries as 
part of the program to identify third party payer situations.

DATES: This rule is effective April 9, 1998. Comments are requested by 
May 11, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Forward comments to: Third Party Collection Program, Office 
of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), Health Services 
Operations and Readiness, 1200 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-
1200.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LTC Michael Montgomery, 703-681-8910.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Final Rule Regarding Collection of Social Security Account Numbers

    As part of the program to identify third party payer situations, 
Congress authorized DoD to require mandatory disclosure of Social 
Security account numbers of all covered beneficiaries. Based on this 
statutory revision, we are adding the final rule, Sec. 220.9(d), that 
every covered beneficiary eligible for care in facilities of the 
Uniformed Services is, as a condition of eligibility, required to 
disclose to authorized personnel his or her Social Security account 
number. This is essential to the conduct of the program to identify 
third party payer situations.

Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review''

    It has been determined that this rule is not a significant rule as 
defined under section 3(f)(1) through 3(f)(4) of Executive Order 12866.

[[Page 11600]]

Public Law 96-354, ``Regulatory Flexibility Act'' (5 U.S.C. 601)

    It has been determined that this rule will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because it 
affects only DoD employees and certain former DoD employees.

Public Law 96-511, ``Paperwork Reduction Act'' (44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35)

    It has been certified that this rule does not impose any reporting 
or recordkeeping requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.
    This rule implements, without embellishment or additional 
requirement, the statutory authority to require, as part of the program 
for the identification of third party payer situations, the mandatory 
disclosure of Social Security account numbers for all covered 
beneficiaries. Congress recognized that the information matching 
program cannot proceed without Social Security account numbers to 
assure correct identification of each individual in the respective 
databases.

List of Subjects in 32 CFR Part 200

    Claims, Health care, Health insurance.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, 32 CFR part 220 is amended 
as follows:

PART 220--COLLECTION FROM THIRD PARTY PAYERS OF REASONABLE COSTS OF 
HEALTH CARE SERVICES

    1. The authority citation for 32 CFR part 220 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301, 10 U.S.C. 1095.

    2. Section 220.9 is amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read 
as follows:


Sec. 220.9.  Rights and obligations of beneficiaries.

 * * * * *
    (d) Mandatory disclosure of Social Security account numbers. 
Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 1095(k)(2), every covered beneficiary eligible 
for care in facilities of the Uniformed Services is, as a condition of 
eligibility, required to disclose to authorized personnel his or her 
Social Security account number.

    Dated: March 4, 1998.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 98-6075 Filed 3-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-M