[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 15, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14607-14608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05387]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2021-0031]


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as 
amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration. 
Under this matching program, VA will provide SSA with VA compensation 
and pension payment data. SSA will use the data to determine the 
eligibility or amount of payment for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
or Special Veterans Benefit (SVB) recipients. SSA will also identify 
the income of individuals who may be eligible for Medicare cost-sharing 
assistance through the Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) as part of the 
agency's Medicare outreach efforts.

DATES: The deadline to submit comments on the proposed matching program 
is April 14, 2022. The matching program will be applicable on May 11, 
2022, 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-2021-0031 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

[[Page 14608]]

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-2021-0031 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 the matching program to Melissa Feldhan, 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) 965-1416, 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 VA.

Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    The legal authorities for SSA to conduct this matching program are 
sections 806(b), 1144, and 1631(e)(1)(B) and (f) of the Social Security 
Act (Act) (42 U.S.C. 1006(b), 1320b-14, and 1383(e)(1)(B) and (f)).
    The legal authority for VA to disclose information under this 
matching program is section 1631(f) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1383(f)), 
which requires Federal agencies to provide such information as the 
Commissioner of Social Security needs for purposes of determining 
eligibility for or amount of benefits, or verifying other information 
with respect thereto.

Purpose(s)

    This matching program establishes the conditions under which VA 
will provide SSA with information necessary to: (1) Identify certain 
SSI and SVB recipients under Title XVI and Title VIII of the Act, 
respectively, who receive VA-administered benefits; (2) determine the 
eligibility or amount of payment for SSI and SVB recipients; and (3) 
identify the income of individuals who may be eligible for Medicare 
cost-sharing assistance through the MSP as part of the agency's 
Medicare outreach efforts.

Categories of Individuals

    The individuals whose information is involved in this matching 
program are those individuals who are receiving VA compensation or 
pension benefits and SSI or SVB benefits.

Categories of Records

    VA will provide SSA with electronic files containing compensation 
and pension payment data. SSA will match the VA data with its SSI/SVB 
payment information. SSA will conduct the match using the Social 
Security number, name, date of birth, and VA claim number on both the 
VA file and the SSI Record and SVB system of records (SOR).

System(s) of Records

    VA will provide SSA with electronic files containing compensation 
and pension payment data from its SOR entitled the ``Compensation, 
Pension, Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment 
Records--VA'' (58VA21/22/28), republished with updated name at 74 FR 
14865 (April 1, 2009) and last amended at 84 FR 4138 (February 14, 
2019). Routine use 30 of 58VA21/22/28 permits disclosure of the subject 
records for matching purposes.
    SSA will match the VA data with SSI/SVB payment information 
maintained in its SOR entitled ``Supplemental Security Income Record 
and Special Veterans Benefits'' (60-0103), last fully published at 71 
FR 1830 (January 11, 2006), and amended at 72 FR 69723 (December 10, 
2007), 83 FR 31250-31251 (July 3, 2018), and 83 FR 54969 (November 1, 
2018).

[FR Doc. 2022-05387 Filed 3-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P