82 FR 23694 - Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 98 (May 23, 2017)

In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new computer matching program that we are currently conducting with the States, including tribal agencies and United States (U.S.) territories.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 98 (Tuesday, May 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23694-23695]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10484]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA 2016-0042]


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 computer matching program that we 
are currently conducting with the States, including tribal agencies and 
United States (U.S.) territories.

DATES: The deadline to submit comments on the proposed matching program 
is 30 days from the date of publication of this notice. The matching 
program will be effective on July 1, 2017 and will expire on December 
31, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by either 
telefaxing to (410) 966-0869, writing to Mary Ann Zimmerman, Acting 
Executive Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the 
General Counsel, Social Security Administration, 617 Altmeyer Building, 
6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, or emailing at 
[email protected]. All comments received will be available for 
public inspection at this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested parties may submit general 
questions about the matching program to Mary Ann Zimmerman, Acting 
Executive Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the 
General Counsel, by any of the means shown above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection 
Act of 1988 (Public Law (Pub. L.) 100-503), amended the Privacy Act (5 
U.S.C. 552a) by describing the conditions under which computer matching 
involving the Federal government could be performed and adding certain 
protections for persons applying for, and receiving, Federal benefits. 
Section 7201 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 
101-508) further amended the Privacy Act regarding protections for such 
persons.
    The Privacy Act, as amended, regulates the use of computer matching 
by Federal agencies when records in a system of records are matched 
with other Federal, State, or local government records. It requires 
Federal agencies involved in computer matching programs to:
    (1) Negotiate written agreements with the other agency or agencies 
participating in the matching programs;
    (2) Obtain approval of the matching agreement by the Data Integrity 
Boards of the participating Federal agencies;
    (3) Publish notice of the computer matching program in the Federal 
Register;
    (4) Furnish detailed reports about matching programs to Congress 
and OMB;
    (5) Notify applicants and beneficiaries that their records are 
subject to matching; and
    (6) Verify match findings before reducing, suspending, terminating, 
or

[[Page 23695]]

denying a person's benefits or payments.
    We have taken action to ensure that all of our computer matching 
programs comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act, as amended.

Mary Ann Zimmerman,
Acting Executive Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of 
the General Counsel.

    Participating Agencies: SSA and the States, tribal agencies, and 
U.S. territories
    Authority for Conducting the Matching Program: The legal authority 
to disclose data and the States' authority to collect, maintain, and 
use data protected under our systems of records (SOR) for specified 
purposes is:
     Sections 453, 1106(b), and 1137 of the Social Security Act 
(Act) (42 U.S.C. 653, 1306(b), and 1320b-7) (income and eligibility 
verification data);
     26 U.S.C. 6103(l)(7) and (8) (tax return data);
     Section 202(x)(3)(B)(iv) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 
402(x)(3)(B)(iv)) and Section 1611(e)(1)(I)(iii) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 
1382(e)(1)(I)(iii)) (prisoner data);
     Section 205(r)(3) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 405(r)(3)) and the 
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, Public Law 
108-458, 7213(a)(2) (death data);
     Sections 402, 412, 421, and 435 of Public Law 104-193 (8 
U.S.C. 1612, 1622, 1631, and 1645) (quarters of coverage data);
     Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 
2009 (CHIPRA), Public Law 111-3 (citizenship data); and
     Routine use exception to the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b)(3) (data necessary to administer other programs compatible with 
our programs).
    This Agreement further carries out section 1106(a) of the Act (42 
U.S.C. 1306), the regulations promulgated pursuant to that section (20 
CFR part 401), the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended by 
the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (CMPPA), 
related Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidelines, the Federal 
Information Security Management Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3541, et seq.), 
as amended by the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 
2014 (Pub. L. 113-283), and related National Institute of Standards and 
Technology guidelines, which provide the requirements that States must 
follow with regard to use, treatment, and safeguarding of data.
    Purpose: The purpose of this matching program is to set forth the 
terms and conditions governing disclosures of records, information, or 
data (collectively referred to herein as ``data'') made by us to 
various State agencies and departments (State Agencies), tribal 
agencies, and U.S. territories that administer federally funded benefit 
programs, including those under various provisions of the Act, such as 
section 1137 (42 U.S.C. 1320b-7), as well as the state-funded state 
supplementary payment programs under Title XVI of the Act. SSA provides 
electronic data to the States, tribal agencies, and U.S. territories 
for use in determining entitlement and eligibility for federally funded 
benefit programs--such as Medicare and Medicaid, subsidized housing, 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Temporary Assistance to 
Needy Families--as well as other federally funded, state administered 
benefit programs. To receive SSA data to administer federally funded, 
state-administered benefit programs, the State or State agency, tribal 
agency, or U.S. territory must sign a Computer Matching Agreement and 
an Information Exchange Agreement. The terms and conditions of this 
Agreement ensure that we make such disclosures of data, and the States, 
tribal agencies, and U.S. territories use such disclosed data, in 
accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended 
by the CMPPA, 5 U.S.C. 552a.
    Under section 1137 of the Act, States are required to use an income 
and eligibility verification system to administer specified federally 
funded benefit programs, including the state-funded state supplementary 
payment programs under Title XVI of the Act. To assist the States, 
tribal agencies, and U.S. territories in determining entitlement to and 
eligibility for benefits under those programs, as well as other 
federally funded benefit programs, we disclose certain data about 
applicants (and in limited circumstances, members of an applicant's 
household), for state benefits from our Privacy Act SORs and verify the 
Social Security numbers (SSN) of the applicants.
    Individual agreements with the States, tribal agencies, or U.S. 
territories describe the information we will disclose and the 
conditions under which we agree to disclose the information.
    Categories of Individuals: Individuals whose information is 
involved in the matching program are those who apply for federally 
funded, state-administered benefits, as well as current beneficiaries, 
recipients, and annuitants under the programs covered by this 
Agreement.
    Categories of Records: The maximum number of records involved in 
this matching activity is the number of records maintained in our SORs. 
Data elements disclosed in computer matching governed by this Agreement 
are Personally Identifiable Information from our specified SORs, 
including names, SSNs, addresses, amounts, and other information 
related to our benefits and earnings information. Specific listings of 
data elements are available at: http://www.ssa.gov/dataexchange/.
    Systems of Records (SOR): Our SORs used for purposes of the subject 
data exchanges include:
     60-0058--Master Files of SSN Holders and SSN Applications;
     60-0059--Earnings Recording and Self-Employment Income 
System;
     60-0090--Master Beneficiary Record;
     60-0103--Supplemental Security Income Record (SSR) and 
Special Veterans Benefits (SVB);
     60-0269--Prisoner Update Processing System (PUPS); and
     60-0321--Medicare Part D and Part D Subsidy File.

States will ensure that the tax return data contained in SOR 60-0059 
(Earnings Recording and Self-Employment Income System) will only be 
used in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 6103.

[FR Doc. 2017-10484 Filed 5-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4191-02-P