[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 156 (Friday, August 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50171-50173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-18494]


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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 a system of records.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Secretary is proposing to alter a system of 
records notice in its inventory of records systems subject to the 
Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a).
    The Office of the Secretary is proposing to alter the existing 
system of records to expand the categories of records being maintained.

DATES: The changes will be effective on September 13, 2004, unless 
comments are received that would result in a contrary determination.

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

[[Page 50172]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Juanita Irvin at (703) 601-4722, 
extension 110.

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 August 9, 2004, 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.

    Dated: August 9, 2004.
L. M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
DHA 07

System name:
    Military Health Information System (November 21, 2001, 66 FR 
58456).

Changes:
* * * * *

Categories of records in the system:
    Add to the entry `CLINICAL DATA: Inpatient and out patient medical 
records, diagnosis procedures, and pharmacy records'.

Authority for the maintenance of the system:
    Delete entry and replace with `5 U.S.C. 301, Departmental 
Regulation; 10 U.S.C., Chapter 55; Pub. L. 104-191, Health Insurance 
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996; DoD 6025.18-R, DoD Health 
Information Privacy Regulation; and E.O. 9397 (SSN)'.
* * * * *

Retrievability:
    Add to the end of the paragraph `diagnosis codes, admission and 
discharge dates, location of care or any combination of the above'.
* * * * *
DHA 07

System name:
    Military Health Information System (November 21, 2001, 66 FR 
58456).

System location:
    Primary location: Defense Enterprise Computing Center--Denver/WEE, 
6760 E. Irvington Place, Denver, CO 80279-5000.
    Secondary locations: Directorate of Information Management, 
Building 1422, Fort Detrick, MD 21702-5000; Service Medical Treatment 
Facility Medical Centers and Hospitals; Uniformed Services Treatment 
Facilities; Defense Enterprise Computing Centers; TRICARE Management 
Activity, Department of Defense, 5111 Leesburg Pike, Skyline 6, Suite 
306, Falls Church, VA 22041-3206 and contractors under contract to 
TRICARE. For a complete listing of all facility addresses and TRICARE 
contractors maintaining these records, 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 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.
    Clinical Data: Inpatient and outpatient medical records, diagnosis 
procedures, and pharmacy records.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
    5 U.S.C. 301, Departmental Regulation; 10 U.S.C., Chapter 55; Pub. 
L. 104-191, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 
1996; DoD 6025.18-R, DoD Health Information Privacy Regulation; 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.


[[Page 50173]]


    Note: This system of records contains individually identifiable 
health information. The DoD Health Information Privacy Regulation 
(DoD 6025.18-R) issued pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability 
and Accountability Act of 1996, applies to most such health 
information. DoD 6025.18-R may place additional procedural 
requirements on the uses and disclosures of such information beyond 
those found in the Privacy Act of 1974 or mentioned in this system 
of records notice.

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), diagnosis codes, admission and discharge dates, 
location of care or any combination of the above.

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 ciper 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:
    Program Manager, 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 TRICARE Management Activity Privacy Office, Skyline 5, Suite 
810, 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 across to information about themselves 
contained in this system of records should address written requests to 
TRICARE Management Activity Privacy Office, Skyline 5, Suite 810, 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. 04-18494 Filed 8-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-17