[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11445-11446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03704]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children & Families


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

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

ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.

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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 & Families, Office of the Chief Technology 
Officer (HHS/ACF/OCTO), is providing notice of a re-established 
matching program between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and 
State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAAs) participating in the Public 
Assistance Reporting System (PARIS) Program. The matching program 
provides the SPAAs with VA's compensation and pension data on a 
periodic basis to use in determining public assistance applicants' and 
recipients' eligibility for certain public assistance benefits. HHS/
ACF/OPRE facilitates the matching program, and the Department of 
Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center (DoD/DMDC) conducts the matches 
of SPAA and VA data and provides associated support.

DATES: The deadline for comments on this notice is March 27, 2023. 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 (from approximately March 
2023 through September 2024), and within three 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 Chief Technology Officer, HHS/ACF Tech, 
330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20024, [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General questions about the matching 
program may be submitted to Kevin Duvall, Chief Technology Officer, ACF 
Tech, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20024, 202-401-5680, or 
[email protected].

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 the following:
    1. Obtain approval of a Computer Matching Agreement, prepared in 
accordance with the Privacy Act, by the Data Integrity Board of each 
Federal agency that is a source, or recipient of data used in the 
matching program. 5 U.S.C. 522a(o)(1), (u)(3)(A) and (u)(4).
    2. Provide adequate advance notice of the matching program, 
including a copy of the agreement, to Congress and the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)(2)(A)(i) and (r).
    3. Publish advance notice of the matching program in the Federal 
Register. 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(12).
    4. Make the Computer Matching Agreement available to the public. 5 
U.S.C. 552a(o)(2)(A)(ii).
    5. 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).
    6. 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).
    7. Provide an annual report of the matching program activities to 
Congress and OMB, and make the report available to the public. 5 U.S.C. 
552a(u)(3)(D).
    This matching program meets these requirements.

Kevin M. Duvall,
Chief Technology Officer, ACF.

Participating Agencies

    The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the source agency, and 
State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAAs) are non-Federal agencies.

Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    Sections 402, 1137, and 1903(r) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. secs. 602(a), 1320b-7, and 1396b(r)).

Purpose(s)

    The matching program will provide participating SPAAs with VA's 
compensation and pension data on a periodic basis to use in determining 
public assistance applicants' and recipients' eligibility for benefits 
under the Medicaid, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and general 
assistance programs, and to use in helping relevant veterans to better 
understand similar benefits available through the VA that may be better 
alternatives. 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 involved in the matching program are 
the following:
     Individuals applying for or receiving Medicaid, TANF, 
SNAP, and/or general assistance benefits (public assistance clients); 
and
     Individuals receiving VA pay or pension benefits.

Categories of Records

    The categories of records used in the matching program are 
identifying information, compensation, and pension data.
    On an approximately quarterly basis, VA will provide DoD/DMDC with 
a file containing VA benefit record data for most VA benefit and 
compensation recipients. SPAAs will also provide DoD/DMDC with a non-
Federal file containing identifying information, including Social 
Security Numbers (SSNs), about public assistance clients. DoD/DMDC will 
compare the SSNs in

[[Page 11446]]

each SPAA file to the VA file and will provide the SPAA with match 
results containing the following data elements (as applicable) about 
each public assistance client whose SSN matches the SSN of an 
individual receiving VA compensation or pension benefits:
    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; 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); and, Benefits Delivery Network 
Treasury Address and ZIP Code Prefix.

System(s) of Records

    The VA data used in this matching program will be disclosed from 
the following system of records, as authorized by routine use 35: 
``Compensation, Pension, Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation and 
Employment Records--VA (58VA21/22/28),'' 86 FR 61858 (Nov. 8, 2021).

[FR Doc. 2023-03704 Filed 2-17-23; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P