[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 243 (Thursday, December 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82025-82026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27773]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2020-0019]


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as 
amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the Bureau 
of the Fiscal Service, Department of the Treasury (Fiscal Service). The 
matching agreement between SSA and Fiscal Service sets forth the terms, 
conditions, and safeguards under which Fiscal Service will disclose 
ownership of Savings Securities data to SSA. This disclosure will 
provide SSA with information necessary to verify an individual's self-
certification of his or her financial status to determine eligibility 
for low-income subsidy assistance in the Medicare Part D prescription 
drug benefit program established under the Medicare Prescription Drug, 
Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003.

DATES: The deadline to submit comments on the proposed matching program 
is January 19, 2021. The matching program will be applicable on April 
2, 2021, or once a minimum of 30 days after publication of this notice 
has elapsed, whichever is later. The matching program will be in effect 
for a period of 18 months.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any one of three methods--
internet, fax, or mail. Do not submit the same comments multiple times 
or by more than one method. Regardless of which method you choose, 
please state that your comments refer to Docket No. SSA-2020-0019 so 
that we may associate your comments with the correct regulation. 
CAUTION: You should be careful to include in your comments only 
information that you wish to make publicly available. We strongly urge 
you not to include in your comments any personal information, such as 
Social Security numbers or medical information.
    1. Internet: We strongly recommend that you submit your comments 
via the internet. Please visit the Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Use the Search function to find docket number 
SSA-2020-0019 and then submit your comments. The system will issue you 
a tracking number to confirm your submission. You will not be able to 
view your comment immediately because we must post each submission 
manually. It may take up to a week for your comments to be viewable.
    2. Fax: Fax comments to (410) 966-0869.
    3. Mail: Matthew Ramsey, Executive Director, Office of Privacy and 
Disclosure, Office of the General Counsel, Social Security 
Administration, G-401 WHR, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 
21235-6401, or emailing [email protected]. Comments are also 
available for public viewing on the Federal eRulemaking portal at 
http://www.regulations.gov or in person, during regular business hours, 
by arranging with the contact person identified below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested parties may submit general 
questions about this matching program to Andrea Huseth, Division 
Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the General 
Counsel, Social Security Administration, G-401 WHR, 6401 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, at telephone: (410) 966-5855, or 
send an email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: None.

Matthew Ramsey,
Executive Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the 
General Counsel.

PARTICIPATING AGENCIES:
    SSA and Fiscal Service.

AUTHORITY FOR CONDUCTING THE MATCHING PROGRAM:
    Section 1860D-14 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-114) 
requires SSA to verify the eligibility of an individual who seeks to be 
considered as an Extra Help eligible individual under the Medicare Part 
D prescription drug benefit program and who self-certifies his or her 
income, resources, and family size.

PURPOSE(S):
    The matching program establishes the conditions under which Fiscal 
Service will disclose ownership of Savings Securities data to SSA. This 
disclosure will provide SSA with information necessary to verify an 
individual's self-certification of his or her financial status to 
determine eligibility for low-income subsidy assistance in the Medicare 
Part D prescription drug benefit program established under the Medicare 
Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS:
    The individuals whose information is involved in this matching 
program are those individuals who apply for low-income subsidy 
assistance in the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program 
established under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 
Modernization Act of 2003.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS:
    SSA will disclose to Fiscal Service a finder file with the Social 
Security number (SSN) for each individual for whom SSA requests Savings 
Securities ownership information. When a match occurs on an SSN, Fiscal 
Service will disclose the following to SSA: The

[[Page 82026]]

denomination of the security; the serial number; the series; the issue 
date of the security; the current redemption value; and the return date 
of the finder file.
    SSA will disclose to Fiscal Service a finder file with the SSN for 
each individual for whom it requests Savings Securities registration 
information. Fiscal Service bases the query on the SSN associated with 
the account and reports any subsequent account holdings. When a match 
occurs on an SSN, Fiscal Service will disclose the following to SSA: 
The purchase amount; the account number and confirmation number; the 
series; the issue date of the security; the current redemption value; 
and the return date of the finder file.

SYSTEM(S) OF RECORDS:
    SSA will disclose to Fiscal Service a finder file consisting of 
SSNs extracted from SSA's Medicare Database (MDB) File System, 60-0321, 
fully published at 71 FR 42159 (July 25, 2006), as amended at 72 FR 
69723 (December 10, 2007) and 83 FR 54969 (November 1, 2018). The MDB 
File System is a repository of Medicare applicant and beneficiary 
information related to Medicare Part A, Part B, Medicare Advantage Part 
C, and Medicare Part D.
    Fiscal Service will match the SSNs from SSA's finder file with the 
SSNs in Fiscal Service system of records notice .014 (United States 
Securities and Access), fully published at 85 FR 11776 (February 27, 
2020). System of records notice .014 (United States Securities and 
Access) is derived from legacy BPD systems of records notices .002 
(United States Savings-Type Securities), .003 (United States Securities 
(Other than Savings-Type Securities)), and .008 (Retail Treasury 
Securities Access Application).

[FR Doc. 2020-27773 Filed 12-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P