[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11331-11332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03021]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2023-0021]


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 
provide SSA with civil service benefit and payment data. This 
disclosure will provide SSA with information necessary to verify an 
individual's self-certification of eligibility for the Extra Help with 
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs program (Extra Help). It will 
also enable SSA to identify individuals who may qualify for Extra Help 
as part of the agency's Medicare outreach efforts.

DATES: The deadline to submit comments on the proposed matching program 
is March 15, 2024.
    The matching program will be applicable on March 14, 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 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-2023-0021 so 
that we may associate your comments with the correct regulation.
    Caution: You should be careful to include in your comments only

[[Page 11332]]

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-2023-0021 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) 410-1613.
    3. Mail: 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 
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 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 OPM.
    Authority for Conducting the Matching Program: 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.
    The legal authority for OPM to disclose information under this 
agreement is 42 U.S.C. 1383(f) of the Social Security Act (Act).
    The legal authorities for SSA to conduct this computer matching are 
sections 1144(a)(1) and (b)(1) and 1860D-14(a)(3) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 
1320b-14(a)(1) and (b)(1) and 1395w-114(a)(3)).
    Purpose(s): This agreement sets forth the terms and conditions 
under which OPM will provide SSA with civil service benefit and payment 
data. This disclosure will provide SSA with information necessary to 
verify an individual's self-certification of eligibility for Extra 
Help. It will also enable SSA to identify individuals who may qualify 
for Extra Help as part of the agency's Medicare outreach efforts.
    Categories of Individuals: The individuals whose information is 
involved in this matching program are civil service annuitants, 
individuals who self-certify their eligibility for the Extra Help 
program, and individuals who may qualify for Extra Help.
    Categories of Records: OPM's data file will consist of 
approximately 125,000 records of updated payment information for new 
civil service annuitants and annuitants whose civil service annuity has 
changed. SSA's comparison file consists of approximately 111 million 
records from the Medicare Database file.
    OPM will provide SSA with civil service benefit and payment data 
for individuals who apply for the Extra Help program. The file 
includes:
    a. Annuitant Name and Date of Birth,
    b. Annuitant Social Security number,
    c. Annuitant Civil Service Claim Number, and
    d. Amount of current gross civil service benefits.
    System(s) of Records: OPM will provide SSA with electronic files 
containing civil service benefit and payment data from its system of 
records (SOR) titled OPM/Central--1, Civil Service Retirement and 
Insurance Records, published at 73 FR 15013 (March 20, 2008) and 87 FR 
5874 (February 2, 2022).
    SSA will match OPM data with the SSA SOR 60-0321, Medicare Database 
File, 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).

[FR Doc. 2024-03021 Filed 2-13-24; 8:45 am]
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