[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 145 (Monday, July 29, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36600-36601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16000]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended 
(Privacy Act), this notice announces the establishment of a matching 
program the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission or 
Agency) will conduct with the Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The purpose of 
this matching program is to verify the eligibility of applicants to and 
subscribers of the Universal Service Fund (USF) Lifeline program, which 
is administered by Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) 
under the direction of the FCC. More information about this program is 
provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

DATES: Written comments are due on or before August 28, 2019. This 
computer matching program will commence on August 28, 2019, unless 
written comments are received that require a contrary determination, 
and will conclude on January 29, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Mr. Leslie F. Smith, Privacy Manager, 
Information Technology (IT), Room 1-C216, FCC, 445 12th Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20554, or to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Leslie F. Smith, (202) 418-0217, 
or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Lifeline program provides support for 
discounted broadband and voice services to low-income consumers. 
Lifeline is administered by the Universal Service Administrative 
Company (USAC) under FCC direction. Consumers qualify for Lifeline 
through proof of income or participation in a qualifying program, such 
as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), 
Federal Public Housing Assistance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), 
Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit, or various Tribal-specific 
federal assistance programs. In a Report and Order adopted on March 31, 
2016, the Commission ordered USAC to create a National Lifeline 
Eligibility Verifier (National Verifier), including the National 
Lifeline Eligibility Database (LED), that would match data about 
Lifeline applicants and subscribers with other data sources to verify 
the eligibility of an applicant or subscriber. The Commission found 
that the National Verifier would reduce compliance costs for Lifeline 
service providers, improve service for Lifeline subscribers, and reduce 
waste, fraud, and abuse in the program.

Participating Agency

    Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare 
& Medicaid Services (CMS), Transformed--Medicaid Statistical 
Information System (T-MSIS), System No. 09-07-0541.

Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    47 U.S.C. 254; 47 CFR 54.400 et seq.; Lifeline and Link Up Reform 
and Modernization, et al., Third Report and Order, Further Report and 
Order, and Order on Reconsideration, 31 FCC Rcd 3962, 4006-21, paras. 
126-66 (2016) (2016 Lifeline Modernization Order).

Purpose(s)

    In the 2016 Lifeline Modernization Order, the FCC required USAC to 
develop and operate a National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier (National 
Verifier) to improve efficiency and reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in 
the Lifeline program. The stated purpose of the National Verifier is 
``to increase the integrity and improve the performance of the Lifeline 
program for the benefit of a variety of Lifeline participants, 
including Lifeline providers, subscribers, states, community-based 
organizations, USAC, and the Commission.'' 31 FCC Rcd at 4006, para. 
126. To help determine whether Lifeline applicants and subscribers are 
eligible for Lifeline benefits, the Order contemplates that a USAC-
operated Lifeline Eligibility Database (LED) will communicate with 
information systems and databases operated by other Federal and State 
agencies. Id. at 4011-2, paras. 135-7. The purpose of this particular 
program is to verify Lifeline eligibility by establishing that 
applicants or subscribers are enrolled in the Medicaid program.

Categories of Individuals

    The categories of individuals whose information is involved in this 
matching program include, but are not limited to, those individuals 
(residing in a single household) who have applied for Lifeline 
benefits; are currently receiving Lifeline benefits; are individuals 
who enable another individual in their household to qualify for 
Lifeline benefits; are minors whose status qualifies a parent or 
guardian for Lifeline benefits; are individuals who have received 
Lifeline benefits; or are individuals acting on behalf of an eligible 
telecommunications carrier (ETC) who have enrolled individuals in the 
Lifeline program.

Categories of Records

    The categories of records involved in the matching program include, 
but are not limited to, a Lifeline applicant or subscriber's full name; 
physical and mailing addresses; partial Social Security number or 
Tribal ID number; date of birth; qualifying person's full name (if 
qualifying person is different from subscriber); qualifying person's 
physical and mailing addresses; qualifying person's partial Social 
Security number or Tribal ID number, and qualifying person's date of 
birth. The National Verifier will transfer these data elements to CMS, 
which will compare them to records maintained in T-MSIS and then 
respond either ``yes''

[[Page 36601]]

or ``no'' that the individual is enrolled in the Medicaid program.

System(s) of Records

    The USAC records shared as part of this matching program reside in 
the Lifeline system of records, FCC/WCB-1, Lifeline Program, a full 
notice of which the FCC last published at 82 FR 38686 (August 15, 
2017). The CMS records shared as part of this matching program reside 
in the Transformed--Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS), 
System No. 09-07-0541, a full notice of which the CMS last published at 
84 FR 2230 (February 16, 2019).

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-16000 Filed 7-26-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P