[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4061-4062]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01627]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health 
and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with subsection (e)(12) of the Privacy Act of 
1974, as amended, the Department of Health and Human Services, 
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research 
and Evaluation (HHS/ACF/OPRE), is providing notice of a re-established 
matching program between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and 
State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAAs), ``Information Comparisons and 
Disclosure to Assist in Administering the Public Assistance Reporting 
Information System (PARIS) Program.'' The matching program provides VA 
pay and pension data to SPAAs, which SPAAs use to identify individual 
public assistance clients (applicants and recipients) who are receiving 
compensation and pension payments from VA, in order to determine their 
eligibility for benefits under HHS' Medicaid and Temporary Assistance 
to Needy Families (TANF) programs and the Department of Agriculture's 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). HHS/ACF/OPRE 
facilitates the matching program, with computer assistance from the 
Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center (DOD/DMDC).

DATES: The deadline for comments on this notice is February 28, 2018. 
The re-established matching program will commence not sooner than 30 
days after publication of this notice, provided no comments are 
received that warrant a change to this notice. The matching program 
will be conducted for an initial term of 18 months (approximately 
February 25, 2018 through July 25, 2019) and within 3 months of 
expiration may be renewed for one additional year if the parties make 
no change to the matching program and certify that the program has been 
conducted in compliance with the matching agreement.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit written comments on this 
notice, by mail or email, to the Director, Division of Data and 
Improvement, HHS/ACF Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, 330 C 
Street SW, Washington, DC 20024, [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General questions about the matching 
program may be submitted to the Director, Division of Data and 
Improvement, HHS/ACF Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, 330 C 
Street SW, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 401-7237.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 
U.S.C. 552a), provides certain protections for individuals applying for 
and receiving federal benefits. The law governs the use of computer 
matching by federal agencies when records in a system of records 
(meaning, federal agency records about individuals retrieved by name or 
other personal identifier) are matched with records of other federal or 
non-federal agencies. The Privacy Act requires agencies involved in a 
matching program to:
    1. Enter into a written agreement, which must be prepared in 
accordance with the Privacy Act, approved by the Data Integrity Board 
of each source and recipient federal agency, provided to Congress and 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and made available to the 
public, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(o), (u)(3)(A), and (u)(4).
    2. Notify the individuals whose information will be used in the 
matching program that the information they provide is subject to 
verification through matching, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)(1)(D).
    3. Verify match findings before suspending, terminating, reducing, 
or making a final denial of an individual's benefits or payments or 
taking other adverse action against the individual, as required by 5 
U.S.C. 552a(p).
    4. Report the matching program to Congress and the OMB, in advance 
and

[[Page 4062]]

annually, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(o) (2)(A)(i), (r), and 
(u)(3)(D).
    5. Publish advance notice of the matching program in the Federal 
Register as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(12).
    This matching program meets these requirements.
    Participating Agencies: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the 
source agency, and State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAAs) are 
recipient agencies. The Department of Health and Human Services, 
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research 
and Evaluation (HHS/ACF/OPRE) facilitates the matching program, with 
computer assistance from the Department of Defense, Defense Manpower 
Data Center (DOD/DMDC).
    Authority for Conducting the Matching Program: Sections 402, 1137, 
and 1903(r) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 602(a), 1320b-7, and 
1396b(r)).
    Purpose(s): The purpose of the matching program is to provide SPAAs 
with VA compensation and pension data on a periodic (typically 
quarterly) basis to use in determining public assistance applicants' 
and recipients' eligibility for benefits under HHS' Medicaid and 
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) programs and the 
Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 
(SNAP). The matching program helps ensure fair and equitable treatment 
in the delivery of benefits attributable to funds provided by the 
federal government.
    Categories of Individuals: The categories of individuals whose 
information is involved in the matching program are:
     Individuals who apply for or receive Medicaid, TANF, SNAP 
and/or general assistance benefits; and
     Eligible veterans receiving VA pay or pension benefits.
    Categories of Records: The categories of records involved in the 
matching program are VA pay and pension benefit records. The matching 
program will compare Social Security Numbers (SSNs) in quarterly SPAA 
files about individuals applying for Medicaid, TANF, SNAP and/or 
general assistance benefits to VA files containing names and other 
identifying information about eligible veterans receiving VA pay or 
pension benefits. The data elements that will be provided to a SPAA 
about a veteran whose SSN matches an SSN in a quarterly SPAA file 
include (as applicable):
    VA File Number; Veteran/Beneficiary/Apportionee SSN and SSN 
Verification Indicator; Payee Type Code; Award Type, Award Line Type, 
and Award Status Codes; Gender Code; Last Name/First Name/Middle Name; 
Beneficiary Birth Date; Veteran/Spouse Aid and Attendance Code; Station 
Number; Spouse; Minor Child; School Child; Helpless Child; Parent; 
Combined Degree; Entitlement Type Code; Change Reason; Suspense Reason; 
Last Paid Date; Effective Date; Gross Amount; Net Award Amount; Payment 
Amount; Frequency Pay Type Code; Income for VA Purposes Amount; 
Beneficiary/Spouse Annual Amounts (for Wages, Insurance, Interest, 
Social Security, Civil Service Retirement, Military, Railroad 
Retirement Board, Black Lung, and Rest); Beneficiary/Spouse Rest of 
Exclusion Amount; Medical Expense/Education Expense/Last Expense/
Hardship Amounts; Receivable/Receivable Amount; Monthly Deductions/
Deduction Amount; Proceeds/Proceeds Amount; Address Type Indicator; 
Address Name/Fiduciary; Address Fiduciary Type; Address Name 
Beneficiary; and Corporate Format Address (Address Lines One, Two, and 
Three, City Name, State Name, ZIP Code Prefix and Suffix, Country Type 
Name, Foreign Postal Code, Province Name, Territory Name, Military 
Postal Type, Military Post Office).
    System(s) of Records: The VA pay and pension records used in this 
matching program will be disclosed from the following system of 
records, as authorized by routine use 25: Compensation, Pension, 
Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Records-VA 
(58VA21/22/28), last published at 77 FR 42593 (July 19, 2012).

Naomi Goldstein,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Research and Evaluation, ACF.
[FR Doc. 2018-01627 Filed 1-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-01-P