[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 13, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10044-10045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3582]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Privacy Act of 1974 as Amended; Computer Matching Program (SSA/
HCFA) Match Number 1094

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of computer matching program.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as 
amended, this notice announces a computer matching program that SSA 
plans to conduct with the Health Care Financing Administration.

DATES: SSA will file a report of the subject matching program with the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on 
Government Reform and Oversight of the House of Representatives, and 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB). The matching program will be effective as indicated 
below.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by either 
telefax to (410) 966-2935 or writing to the Associate Commissioner, 
Office of Program Support, 2-Q-16 Operations Building, 6401 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401. All comments received will be 
available for public inspection at this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Associate Commissioner for Program 
Support as shown above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. General

    The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Public 
Law (Pub. L.) 100-503), amended the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) by 
describing the manner in which computer matching involving Federal 
agencies could be performed and adding certain protections for 
individuals applying for and receiving Federal benefits. Section 7201 
of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-508) 
further amended the Privacy Act regarding protections for such 
individuals. The Privacy Act, as amended, regulates the use of computer 
matching by Federal agencies when records in a system of records are 
matched with other Federal, State, or local government records.
    It requires Federal agencies involved in computer matching programs 
to:
    (1) Negotiate written agreements with the other agency or agencies 
participating in the matching programs;
    (2) Obtain the Data Integrity Boards' approval of the match 
agreements;
    (3) Furnish detailed reports about matching programs to Congress 
and OMB;
    (4) Notify applicants and beneficiaries that their records are 
subject to matching; and
    (5) Verify match findings before reducing, suspending, terminating, 
or denying an individual's benefits or payments.

B. SSA Computer Matches Subject to the Privacy Act

    We have taken action to ensure that all of SSA's computer matching 
programs comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act, as amended.

    Dated: November 21, 2000.
Susan M. Daniels,
Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income Security Programs.

Notice of Computer Matching Program, Health Care Financing 
Administration (HCFA) With the Social Security Administration (SSA)

A. Participating Agencies

    SSA and HCFA.

B. Purpose of the Matching Program

    The purpose of this matching program is to establish the 
conditions, safeguards and procedures under which HCFA agrees to 
disclose Medicare non-utilization data to SSA. In some instances, if an 
individual has not used Medicare benefits for an extended period of 
time, this may indicate that the individual is deceased. SSA will use 
the selected data as an indicator of cases that should be reviewed to 
determine continued eligibility to SSA administered programs.

C. Authority for Conducting Matching Program

    Sections 202 (42 U.S.C. 402) and 205(c) (42 U.S.C.405(c)) of the 
Social Security Act.

D. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Matching 
Program

    SSA will periodically furnish HCFA with an electronic finder file 
containing Title II Claim Account Number (CAN) and Title II Beneficiary 
Identification Code (BIC)) of beneficiaries from SSA's file of Master 
Beneficiary Records (SSA/OSR 60-0090) who receive Medicare.
    SSA will request HCFA to match the finder file against their 
National Claims

[[Page 10045]]

History (09-70-0005) and the Health Insurance Master Record (09-70-
0502) and release an electronic file to SSA containing certain 
identifying information on enrollees who have not used Medicare for a 
specified period of at least 12 consecutive months.

E. Inclusive Dates of the Match

    The matching program shall become effective no sooner than 40 days 
after notice for the program is sent to Congress and OMB, or 30 days 
after publication of this notice in the Federal Register, whichever 
date is later. The matching program will continue for 18 months from 
the effective date and may be extended for an additional 12 months 
thereafter, if certain conditions are met.

[FR Doc. 01-3582 Filed 2-12-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P