[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 31, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 53128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19815]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; Computer Matching Program (SSA/
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Match Number 1094)

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of renewal of an existing computer matching program 
which expired on September 21, 2003. The next match is scheduled to 
take place in November 2004.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as 
amended, this notice announces the renewal of an existing computer 
matching program that SSA is currently conducting with CMS.

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 of the House of Representatives and Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB). The renewal of the matching program will be effective as 
indicated below.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by either 
telefax to (410) 965-8582 or writing to the Associate Commissioner for 
Income Security Programs, 245 Altmeyer 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 Income 
Security Programs 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 
establishing the conditions under which computer matching involving the 
Federal government 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) Publish notice of the computer matching program in the Federal 
Register;
    (4) Furnish detailed reports about matching programs to Congress 
and OMB;
    (5) Notify applicants and beneficiaries that their records are 
subject to matching; and
    (6) 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: August 19, 2004.
Martin H. Gerry,
Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income Security Programs.
    Notice of Computer Matching Program, Social Security 
Administration (SSA) with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services (CMS)
    A. Participating Agencies: SSA and CMS.
    B. Purpose of the Matching Program: The purpose of this matching 
program is to establish the conditions, safeguards and procedures 
under which CMS 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 the 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 CMS 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/OEEAS 60-0090) who receive 
Medicare.
    SSA will request CMS to match the finder file against their 
National Claims History (09-70-0005) and the Enrollment Database 
(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 a least 12 consecutive months.
    E. Inclusive Dates of the Matching Program: 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. 04-19815 Filed 8-30-04; 8:45 am]
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