[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 29 (Monday, February 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9891-9893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02789]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2023-0027]


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 Office 
of Personnel Management (OPM). Under this matching program, OPM will 
disclose civil service benefit and payment data to SSA. SSA is legally 
required to offset specific benefits by a percentage of civil service 
benefits received (Spousal and Survivors benefits, Supplemental 
Security Income (SSI) benefits, and Retirement and Disability Insurance 
Benefits are offset by a percentage of the recipients' own Federal 
Government pension benefits). SSA administers the Old Age, Survivors, 
Disability Insurance (OASDI), SSI, and Special Veterans' Benefits (SVB) 
programs. SSA will use the match results under this agreement to meet 
its civil service benefit offset obligations. SSA's Office of the Chief 
Actuary (OCA) will also use OPM's data for statistical and research 
purposes in tracking the size of, and impact on, subpopulations of 
government annuitants affected by the Government Pension Offset, the 
Windfall Elimination Provision, and in cost estimates of proposals to 
change the two provisions.

DATES: Submit comments on the proposed matching program no later than 
March 13, 2024.
    The matching program will be applicable on March 11, 2024, 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 four methods--
internet, fax, mail, or email. Do not submit the same comments multiple 
times or by more than one method. Regardless of which method you 
choose, please state

[[Page 9892]]

that your comments refer to Docket No. SSA-2023-0027 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-2023-0027 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 (833) 410-1631.
    3. Mail: Submit comments to Matthew Ramsey, Executive Director, 
Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the General Counsel, Social 
Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-
6401, or by 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, 6401 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, at telephone: (410) 966-1943, or by sending 
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 OPM.
    Authority for Conducting the Matching Program: The legal authority 
for SSA to conduct this matching activity for SSI purposes is section 
1631(e)(1)(B) and (f) of the Social Security Act (Act) (42 U.S.C. 
1383(e)(1)(B) and (f)). The legal authority for SVB purposes is section 
806 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1006). The legal authority for SSA to conduct 
this matching activity for OASDI includes section 224 of the Act (42 
U.S.C. 424a), which provides for the reduction of Social Security 
disability benefits when the disabled worker is also entitled to a 
Public Disability Benefit (PDB). Also, section 215a(7)(A) of the Act 
(42 U.S.C. 415) requires a modification to the computation formula 
reducing the Primary Insurance Amount of a retired and disabled worker 
entitled to a pension from employment not covered under Social 
Security. Section 202k(5)(A) (42 U.S.C. 402) provides for the reduction 
of spousal and survivors benefits by a percentage of a pension received 
based on work not covered by Social Security.
    Section 1631(f) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1383(f)) requires Federal 
agencies to furnish SSA with information necessary to verify 
eligibility for benefits. Section 224(h)(1) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 
424a(h)(1)) requires any Federal agency to provide SSA with information 
in its possession that SSA may require for the purposes of making a 
timely determination of the amount of reduction under section 224 of 
the Act (42 U.S.C. 424a).
    This agreement is executed in compliance with the Privacy Act of 
1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy 
Protection Act of 1988, and the regulations and guidance promulgated 
thereunder.
    Purpose(s): This agreement sets forth the terms, conditions, and 
safeguards under which OPM will disclose civil service benefit and 
payment data to SSA. SSA will use the match results under this 
agreement to meet its civil service benefit offset obligations. SSA is 
legally required to offset specific benefits by a percentage of the 
benefit recipients' Federal Government pension benefits.
    SSA's OCA will also use OPM's data for statistical and research 
purposes in tracking the size of, and impact on, subpopulations of 
government annuitants affected by the Government Pension Offset and the 
Windfall Elimination Provision. Additionally, the OCA will use OPM's 
data in cost estimates of proposals to change the two provisions.
    Categories of Individuals: The individuals whose information is 
involved in this matching program are those individuals who are 
receiving civil service benefits and payments as well as either Spousal 
and Survivors benefits, SSI or SVB benefits, or Retirement and 
Disability Insurance benefits.
    Categories of Records: OPM will provide SSA with an electronic file 
containing civil service benefit and payment data from the annuity and 
survivor master file. Each month, OPM will provide SSA with an 
electronic file that will include updated payment information for new 
civil service annuitants and annuitants whose civil service annuity has 
changed. This monthly file contains approximately 25,000 records. OPM 
will provide SSA with the entire master annuity file of approximately 
2.7 million records once yearly for the month of the civil service 
cost-of-living allowance. OPM will furnish SSA with the following civil 
service benefit and payment data: payment status code; prefix; name; 
Social Security number (SSN); Social Security verification code; date 
of birth; award date; civil service claim number; first potential month 
and year of eligibility; date of eligibility indicator; first month, 
day, and year of entitlement; disability indicator; Federal Insurance 
Contributions Act covered months indicator; total service months; 
amount of current gross civil service benefits; effective date (month, 
day, and year) of civil service amount; SSNs for disabled children; 
retroactive payments; date of death; payments that are currently coded 
`special pay'; OPM code that indicates OPM used pre-1957 military 
service in the benefit computations; actual military service dates that 
OPM used in computing the OPM pension amount; OPM code for voluntary 
contributions; amount of the pension from voluntary contributions; 
months of employment after 1956 not covered by Social Security that are 
used to determine the pension; period of employment upon which pension 
is based; and Federal Employees Retirement System transfer case data.
    SSA will attempt to verify the SSNs furnished by OPM using the SSA 
Enumeration System database and the individuals' name, date of birth, 
and SSN. SSA will only use verified SSNs in the matches with its 
systems of records (SOR). SSA will match the SSN-verified OPM data 
against the Supplemental Security Record or Master Beneficiary Record 
to identify: SSI/SVB recipients who are also receiving a civil service 
pension; individuals who may be subject to PDB offset; and 
beneficiaries subject to a Federal pension offset.
    System(s) of Records: OPM will provide SSA with electronic files 
from the OPM SOR published as OPM/Central-1 (Civil Service Retirement 
and Insurance Records) at 73 FR 15013 (March 20, 2008), as amended at 
80 FR 74815 (November 30, 2015). SSA will

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conduct the match using the individual's SSN, name, and date of birth 
on both the OPM file and SSA's databases covered under the following 
SSA SORs: the Master Files of Social Security Number (SSN) Holders and 
SSN Applications (Enumeration System), 60-0058, as published at 87 FR 
263 (January 4, 2022); the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR), 60-0090, as 
published at 71 FR 1826 (January 11, 2006), as amended at 72 FR 69723 
(December 10, 2007), 78 FR 40542 (July 5, 2013), 83 FR 31250-31251 
(July 3, 2018), and 83 FR 54969 (November 1, 2018); and the 
Supplemental Security Income Record and Special Veterans Benefits (SSR/
SVB), 60-0103, as published at 71 FR 1830 (January 11, 2006), as 
amended at 72 FR 69723 (December 10, 2007), 83 FR 31250-31251 (July 3, 
2018), and 83 FR 54969 (November 1, 2018).

[FR Doc. 2024-02789 Filed 2-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P