[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 33 (Friday, February 18, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8419-8420]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3097]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Privacy Act of 1974 as Amended; Computer Matching Program (SSA/
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children 
and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement (HHS/ACF/OCSE)) Match 
Number 1306

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of a new computer matching program.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as 
amended, this notice announces a new computer matching program that SSA 
will conduct with HHS/ACF/OCSE.

DATES: SSA will file a report of the subject matching program with the 
Committee on Homeland Security and 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) 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

[[Page 8420]]

Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) by describing 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 approval of the matching agreement by the Data 
Integrity Boards (DIB) of the participating Federal agencies;
    (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: January 25, 2005.
Martin H. Gerry,
Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income Security Programs.
Notice of Computer Matching Program, Social Security Administration 
(SSA) with the Health and Human Services (HHS)/Administration for 
Children and Families (ACF)/Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE)

A. Participating Agencies:
    SSA and OCSE.

B. Purpose of the Matching Program:
    The purpose of this matching agreement is to establish the 
conditions, terms and safeguards under which OCSE agrees to disclose 
quarterly wage and unemployment insurance data from their National 
Directory of New Hires database to SSA. This disclosure will provide 
SSA with information necessary to verify an individual's self-
certification of eligibility for prescription drug subsidy assistance 
under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act 
of 2003 (MMA).

C. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program:
    The legal authority for SSA to conduct this matching activity is 
contained in section 1860D-14 (42 U.S.C. 1395w-114) of the Act.

D. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Matching 
Program:
    1. Specified Data Elements Used in the Match.
    a. On the basis of certain identifying information as provided by 
SSA to OCSE, OCSE and SSA will conduct a computerized comparison of the 
quarterly wage payment and unemployment insurance benefit information 
in the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) maintained by OCSE in its 
Location and Collection (LCS) system of records.
    b. SSA will match this data against the Medicare database.
    2. Systems of Records.
    The OCSE will provide SSA with electronic files containing 
quarterly wage and unemployment insurance data from its system of 
records, the Location and Collection System (ACF/OCSE, 09-90-0074). 
Pursuant to U.S.C. 552a(b)(3), OCSE will established routine use to 
disclose the subject information.
    SSA will match the OCSE information with electronic files from its 
system of records, the Medicare Part D and Part D Subsidy File (60-
0321), which is currently being developed to support the Medicare Part 
D subsidy computer matches.

E. Inclusive Dates of the Matching Program:
    The matching program will become effective upon signing of the 
agreement by all parties to the agreement and approval of the agreement 
by the Data Integrity Boards of the respective agencies, but no sooner 
than 40 days after notice of the matching program is sent to Congress 
and the Office of Management and Budget, 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. 05-3097 Filed 2-17-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P