[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 243 (Tuesday, December 18, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74913-74914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30381]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA 2012-0055]


Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; Computer Matching Program 
(Social Security Administration (SSA)/Office of Personnel Management 
(OPM))--Match Number 1307

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of a renewal of an existing computer matching program 
that will expire on January 14, 2013.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as 
amended, this notice announces a renewal of an existing computer 
matching program that we are currently conducting with OPM.

DATES: We will file a report of the subject matching program with the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 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 
telefaxing to (410) 966-0869 or writing to the Executive Director, 
Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the General Counsel, SSA, 
617 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 Executive Director, Office of 
Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the General Counsel, SSA, 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 conditions under which computer matching involving the 
Federal government could be performed and adding certain protections 
for persons 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 persons.
    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 approval of the matching agreement by the Data Integrity 
Boards 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 a person's benefits or payments.

B. SSA Computer Matches Subject to the Privacy Act

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

Kirsten J. Moncada
Executive Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the 
General Counsel.

Notice of Computer Matching Program, SSA With the Office of Personnel 
Management (OPM)

A. Participating Agencies

    SSA and OPM.

B. Purpose of the Matching Program

    The purpose of this matching program is to establish the conditions 
under which OPM will disclose civil service benefit and payment data to 
us. This disclosure will provide us with information necessary to 
verify an individual's self-certification of eligibility for the Extra 
Help with

[[Page 74914]]

Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs program (Extra Help). It will 
also enable us to identify individuals who may qualify for Extra Help.

C. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    The legal authority for OPM to disclose information under this 
agreement is 42 U.S.C. 1383(f) of the Social Security Act (Act). The 
legal authority for us to conduct this computer matching program is 
1860D-14(a)(3) (42 U.S.C. 1395w-114), and 1144(a)(1) and (b)(1) (42 
U.S.C. 1320b-14) of the Act.

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

1. Systems of Records

    OPM will provide us with electronic files containing civil service 
benefit and payment data from its system of records (SOR) published as 
OPM/Central-1 (Civil Service and Insurance Records), on October 8, 1999 
(64 FR 54930), as amended on May 3, 2000 (65 FR 25775).
    We will match the OPM data with data in our Medicare Database 
(MDB), SOR 60-0321, last published at 71 FR 42159 (July 25, 2006).

2. Number of Records

    OPM's data file will consist of approximately 25,000 records of 
updated payment information for new civil service annuitants and 
annuitants whose civil service annuity has changed. Our comparison file 
contains approximately 65 million records obtained from the MDB. The 
number of people who apply for Extra Help determines in part the number 
of records matched.

3. Specified Data Elements

    OPM will furnish us with the name, Social Security number (SSN), 
civil service claim number, and amount of current gross civil service 
benefits. We will conduct the match using the SSN, name, and date of 
birth on both the OPM file and the MDB.

4. Frequency of Matching

    OPM will furnish us monthly with an electronic file containing 
civil service benefit and payment data. The actual matching will take 
place approximately during the first week of every month.

E. Inclusive Dates of the Matching Program

    The effective date of this matching program is January 15, 2013 
provided that the following notice periods have lapsed: 30 days after 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register and 40 days after 
notice of the matching program is sent to Congress and OMB. 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. 2012-30381 Filed 12-17-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P