[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58456-58458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29009]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DoD.

ACTION: Notice to alter systems of records.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Secretary of Defense proposes to alter a 
system of records notice in its inventory of record systems subject to 
the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended.

DATES: The changes will be effective on December 21, 2001 unless 
comments are received that would result in a contrary determination.

[[Page 58457]]


ADDRESSES: Send comments to OSD Privacy Act Coordinator, Records 
Management Section, Washington Headquarters Services, 1155 Defense 
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1155.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Bosworth at (703) 601-4725, 
x124.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of the Secretary of Defense 
notices for systems of records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 
U.S.C. 552a), as amended, have been published in the Federal Register 
and are available from the address above.
    The proposed system report, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) of the 
Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, was submitted on November 14, 2001, to 
the House Committee on Government Reform, the Senate Committee on 
Governmental Affairs, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
pursuant to paragraph 4c of Appendix I to OMB Circular No. A-130, 
`Federal Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining Records About 
Individuals,' dated February 8, 1996 (February 20, 1996, 61 FR 6427).

    Dated: November 14, 2001.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
DHA 07

System Name:
    Defense Medical Information System (DMIS) (September 21, 1999, 64 
FR 51101).

Changes:
* * * * *

System Name:
    Delete entry and replace with `Military Health Information System'.
* * * * *

Categories of Individuals Covered by the System:
    Delete entry and replace with `Uniformed services medical 
beneficiaries enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting 
System (DEERS) who receive or have received medical care at one or more 
of DoD's medical treatment facilities (MTFs), Uniformed Services 
Treatment Facilities (USTFs), or care provided under TRICARE programs'.

Categories of Records in the System:
    Delete entry and replace with `PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION DATA: 
Selected Electronic data elements extracted from the Defense Enrollment 
and Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) beneficiary and enrollment 
records that include data regarding personal identification including 
demographic characteristics.

Eligibility and Enrollment Data:
    Selected electronic data elements extracted from DEERS regarding 
personal eligibility for and enrollment in various health care programs 
within the Department of Defense (DoD) and among DoD and other federal 
healthcare programs including those of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (DVA), the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and 
contracted health care provided through funding provided by one of 
these three Departments.

Clinical Encounter Data:
    Electronic data regarding beneficiaries' interaction with the MHS 
including health care encounters, health care screenings and education, 
wellness and satisfaction surveys, and cost data relative to such 
healthcare interactions. Electronic data regarding Military Health 
System (MHS) beneficiaries' interactions with the DVA or DHHS 
healthcare delivery programs where such programs effect benefits 
determinations between these Department-level programs, continuity of 
clinical care, or effect payment for care between Departmental programs 
inclusive of care provided by commercial entities under contract to 
these three Departments.

Budgetary and Managerial Cost Accounting Data:
    Electronic budgetary and managerial cost accounting data associated 
with beneficiaries interactions with the MHS, DVA, DHHS or contractual 
commercial healthcare providers.'
* * * * *

Purpose(s):
    Delete entry and replace with `Data collected within and maintained 
by the Military Health Information System supports benefits 
determination for MHS beneficiaries between DoD, DVA, and DHHS 
healthcare programs, provides the ability to support continuity of care 
across Federal programs including use of the data in the provision of 
care, ensures more efficient adjudication of claims and supports 
healthcare policy analysis and clinical research to improve the quality 
and efficiency of care within the MHS.'

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories 
of Users and the Purposes of Such Uses:
    Delete paragraph four and replace with `To the Department of 
Veterans Affairs (DVA) for the purpose of providing medical care to 
former service members and retirees, to determine the eligibility for 
or entitlement to benefits, to coordinate cost sharing activities, and 
to facilitate collaborative research activities between the DoD and 
DVA.'
* * * * *

Retention and Disposal:
    Delete entry and replace with `Records are maintained until no 
longer needed for current business'.
* * * * *

Record Source Categories:
    Delete entry and replace with `The individual data records that are 
assembled to form the MHIS are submitted by the Military Departments' 
medical treatment facilities, commercial healthcare providers under 
contract to the MHS, the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting 
System, the Uniformed Service Treatment Facility Managed Care System, 
the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and any other source financed through the Defense Health 
Program'.
* * * * *
DHA 07

System Name:
    Military Health Information System.

System Location:
    Primary location: Defense Enterprise Computing Center-Denver/WEE, 
6760 E. Irvington Place Denver, CO 80279-5000.

Secondary Location:
    Directorate of Information Management, Building 1422, Fort Detrick, 
MD 21702-5000, Service Medical Treatment Facility Medical Centers and 
Hospitals, Uniformed Services Treatment Facilities and Defense 
Enterprise Computing Centers (DECCs). For a complete listing of all 
facility addresses write to the system manager.

Categories of Individuals Covered by the System:
    Uniformed services medical beneficiaries enrolled in the Defense 
Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) who receive or have 
received medical care at one or more of DoD's medical treatment 
facilities (MTFs), Uniformed Services Treatment Facilities (USTFs), or 
care provided under TRICARE programs.

Categories of records in the system:
    Personal Identification Data: Selected electronic data elements 
extracted from the Defense Enrollment and Eligibility Reporting System 
(DEERS) beneficiary and enrollment records that include

[[Page 58458]]

data regarding personal identification including demographic 
characteristics.

Eligibility and Enrollment Data:
    Selected electronic data elements extracted from DEERS regarding 
personal eligibility for and enrollment in various health care programs 
within the Department of Defense (DoD) and among DoD and other federal 
healthcare programs including those of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (DVA), the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and 
contracted health care provided through funding provided by one of 
these three Departments.

Clinical Encounter Data:
    Electronic data regarding beneficiaries' interaction with the MHS 
including health care encounters, health care screenings and education, 
wellness and satisfaction surveys, and cost data relative to such 
healthcare interactions. Electronic data regarding Military Health 
System beneficiaries' interactions with the DVA or DHHS healthcare 
delivery programs where such programs effect benefits determinations 
between these Department-level programs, continuity of clinical care, 
or effect payment for care between Departmental programs inclusive of 
care provided by commercial entities under contract to these three 
Departments.

Budgetary and Managerial Cost Accounting Data:
     Electronic budgetary and managerial cost accounting data 
associated with beneficiaries interactions with the MHS, DVA, DHHS or 
contractual commercial healthcare providers.

Authority for Maintenance of the System:
    5 U.S.C. 301, Departmental Regulation; 10 U.S.C., Chapter 55; and 
E.O. 9397 (SSN).

Purpose(s):
    Data collected within and maintained by the Military Health 
Information System supports benefits determination for MHS 
beneficiaries between DoD, DVA, and DHHS healthcare programs, provides 
the ability to support continuity of care across Federal programs 
including use of the data in the provision of care, ensures more 
efficient adjudication of claims and supports healthcare policy 
analysis and clinical research to improve the quality and efficiency of 
care within the MHS.

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories 
of Users and the Purposes of Such Uses:
    In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, these records or information contained 
therein may specifically be disclosed outside the DoD as a routine use 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
    To permit the disclosure of records to the Department of Health and 
Human Services (HHS) and its components for the purpose of conducting 
research and analytical projects, and to facilitate collaborative 
research activities between DoD and HHS.
    To the Congressional Budget Office for projecting costs and 
workloads associated with DoD Medical benefits.
    To the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) for the purpose of 
providing medical care to former service members and retirees, to 
determine the eligibility for or entitlement to benefits, to coordinate 
cost sharing activities, and to facilitate collaborative research 
activities between the DoD and DVA.
    The DoD `Blanket Routine Uses' set forth at the beginning of OSD's 
compilation of systems of records notices apply to this system.

Policies and Practices for Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining, 
and Disposing of Records in the System:
Storage:
    Records are maintained on optical and magnetic media.

Retrievability:
    Records may be retrieved by individual's Social Security Number, 
sponsor's Social Security Number, Beneficiary ID (sponsor's ID, 
patient's name, patient's DOB, and family member prefix or DEERS 
dependent suffix).

Safeguards:
    Automated records are maintained in controlled areas accessible 
only to authorized personnel. Entry to these areas is restricted to 
personnel with a valid requirement and authorization to enter. Physical 
entry is restricted by the use of a cipher lock. Back-up data 
maintained at each location is stored in a locked room. The system will 
complies with the DoD Information Technology Security Certification and 
Accreditation Process (DITSCAP)
    Access to HMIS records is restricted to individuals who require the 
data in the performance of official duties. Access is controlled 
through use of passwords.

Retention and Disposal:
    Records are maintained until no longer needed for current business.

System Manager(s) and Address:
    Executive Information/Decision Support Program Office, Six Skyline 
Place, Suite 809, 5111 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3201.

Notification Procedure:
    Individuals seeking to determine whether information about 
themselves is contained in this system should address written inquiries 
to the Executive Information/Decision Support Program Office, Six 
Skyline Place, Suite 809, 5111 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3201.
    Requests should contain the full names of the beneficiary and 
sponsor, sponsor Social Security Number, sponsor service, beneficiary 
date of birth, beneficiary sex, treatment facility(ies), and fiscal 
year(s) of interest.

Record Access Procedures:
    Individuals seeking access to information about themselves 
contained in this system of records should address written requests to 
Executive Information/Decision Support Program Office, Six Skyline 
Place, Suite 809, 5111 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3201.
    Requests should contain the full names of the beneficiary and 
sponsor, sponsor's Social Security Number, sponsor's service, 
beneficiary date of birth, beneficiary sex, treatment facility(ies) 
that have provided care, and fiscal year(s) of interest.

Contesting Record Procedures:
    The OSD rules for accessing records, for contesting contents and 
appealing initial agency determinations are contained in OSD 
Administrative Instruction 81; 32 CFR part 311; or may be obtained from 
the system manager.

Record Source Categories:
    The individual data records that are assembled to form the MHIS are 
submitted by the Military Departments' medical treatment facilities, 
commercial healthcare providers under contract to the MHS, the Defense 
Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, the Uniformed Service 
Treatment Facility Managed Care System, the Department of Health and 
Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and any other 
source financed through the Defense Health Program.

Exemptions Claimed for the System:
    None.
[FR Doc. 01-29009 Filed 11-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-08-P