[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 178 (Friday, September 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63639-63641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20045]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2023-0002]


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.

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[[Page 63640]]

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 compensation and 
pension payment data necessary to administer Supplemental Security 
Income (SSI) and Special Veterans Benefits (SVB) and to fulfill SSA's 
obligations for the Medicare Savings Program and Medicare Prescription 
Drug (Medicare Part D) subsidy (Extra Help).

DATES: The deadline to submit comments on the proposed matching program 
is October 16, 2023. The matching program will be applicable on 
November 11, 2023, 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-2023-0002 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 
https://www.regulations.gov. Use the Search function to find docket 
number SSA-2023-0002 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 1 (833) 410-1631.
    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 
https://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 Cynthia Scott, 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) 966-1943, or 
send an email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SSA will use VA compensation and pension 
payment data to verify eligibility, or amount of payments, for SSI and 
SVB recipients. SSA will also use the VA compensation and pension 
payment data to verify an individual's self-certification of 
eligibility for Extra Help. Additionally, SSA will use the VA 
compensation and pension payment data to identify individuals who may 
qualify for Medicare cost-sharing assistance through the Medicare 
Savings Programs (MSP) or Extra Help to contact these individuals about 
the availability of these programs.

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

    This matching agreement between SSA and VA is executed under the 
Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, as amended by the Computer Matching 
and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, Public Law (Pub. L.) 100-503, 102 
Stat. 2507 (1988), as amended, and the Computer Matching and Privacy 
Protection Amendments of 1990, and the regulations and guidance 
promulgated thereunder.
    The legal authorities for SSA to conduct this exchange are sections 
806(b), 1144, 1631(e)(1)(B) and (f), and 1860D-14(a)(3) of the Social 
Security Act (Act) (42 U.S.C. 1006(b), 1320b-14, 1383(e)(1)(B) and (f), 
and 1395w-114(a)(3)).
    The legal authority for VA to disclose information under this 
agreement 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.
    Section 1144(a)(1) and (b)(1) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-14(a)(1) 
and (b)(1)) requires SSA to take actions to notify individuals about 
the availability of Medicare cost-sharing and subsidies for low-income 
individuals under title XVIII of the Act (Medicare), including MSP and 
Extra Help.
    Section 1860D-14(a)(3) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-114(a)(3)) sets 
forth the eligibility determination requirements for Extra Help.

Purpose(s)

    This agreement sets forth the terms and conditions under which VA 
will provide SSA with compensation and pension payment data necessary 
to administer SSI and SVB and to fulfill SSA's obligations for the 
Medicare Savings Program and Medicare Part D Extra Help. SSA will use 
VA compensation and pension payment data to verify eligibility, or 
amount of payments, for SSI and SVB recipients. SSA will also use the 
VA compensation and pension payment data to verify an individual's 
self-certification of eligibility for Extra Help. Additionally, SSA 
will use the VA compensation and pension payment data to identify 
individuals who may qualify for Medicare cost-sharing assistance 
through the MSP or Extra Help to contact these individuals about the 
availability of these programs.

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 are matched with data in SSA's SSI Record and SVB 
system of records (SOR) or SSA's Medicare database SOR.

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 and Medicare database information. SSA will conduct 
the match using the Social Security number, name, date of birth, and VA 
claim number on the VA file, the SSI Record and SVB SOR, and the 
Medicare database 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

[[Page 63641]]

amended at 86 FR 61858 (November 8, 2021).
    SSA will match the VA compensation and pension payment 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).
    SSA will also match the VA information with its Medicare Database 
(MDB) File, 60-0321, last fully published at 71 FR 42159 (July 25, 
2006), and amended at 72 FR 69723 (December 10, 2007) and 83 FR 54969 
(November 1, 2018).
    The SORs involved in this matching program have routine uses 
permitting the disclosures needed to conduct this match.

[FR Doc. 2023-20045 Filed 9-14-23; 8:45 am]
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