82 FR 49691 - Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 206 (October 26, 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 Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This computer matching agreement sets forth the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which IRS will disclose to SSA certain return information for the purpose of verifying eligibility for the Prescription Drug Subsidy Program (Subsidy) and or determining the correct subsidy percentage of benefits provided under section 1860D-14 of the Social Security Act (Act).

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 206 (Thursday, October 26, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49691-49692]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23280]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA 2017-0044]


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 Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
    This computer matching agreement sets forth the terms, conditions, 
and safeguards under which IRS will disclose to SSA certain return 
information for the purpose of verifying eligibility for the 
Prescription Drug Subsidy Program (Subsidy) and or determining the 
correct subsidy percentage of benefits provided under section 1860D-14 
of the Social Security Act (Act).

DATES: The deadline to submit comments on the proposed matching program 
is 30 days from October 26, 2017. The matching program will be 
effective on November 11, 2017, or once a minimum of 30 days after 
publication of this notice has elapsed, whichever is later. The 
matching program will expire on May 10, 2019.

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 email 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 (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

[[Page 49692]]

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 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 IRS.
    Authority for Conducting the Matching Program: The legal authority 
for Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 6103(1)(7) authorizes IRS to 
disclose return information with respect to unearned income to Federal, 
state, and local agencies administering certain benefit programs under 
the Act. Section 1860D-14 of the Act requires the Commissioner of 
Social Security to determine the eligibility of applicants for the 
prescription drug subsidy who self-certify their income, resources, and 
family size. Pursuant to section 1860D-14(a)(3) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395w-114(a)(3)), SSA must determine whether a Social Security Part D 
eligible individual is a subsidy-eligible individual, and whether the 
individual is an individual as described in section 1860D-14(a) of the 
Act.
    Purpose(s): The purpose of this matching program is to sets forth 
the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which IRS will disclose to 
us certain return information for the purpose of verifying eligibility 
for the Prescription Drug Subsidy Program (Subsidy) and or determining 
the correct subsidy percentage of benefits provided under section 
1860D-14 of the Act. (42 U.S.C. 1395w-114). This matching agreement 
between IRS and us 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, and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder.
    Categories of Individuals: The individuals whose information is 
involved in this matching program are beneficiaries who apply for 
Medicare prescription drug subsidy under section 1860D-14 of the Act. 
They will self-certificate on the application form the applicant's 
income, resources, and family size. We will verify each applicant's 
self-certification information before making a subsidy determination. 
When Medicare beneficiaries apply for the subsidy, and we cannot 
otherwise verify the income information provided on an application, SSA 
discloses to IRS the applicant's name and Social Security number.
    Categories of Records: When beneficiaries apply for the Medicare 
prescription drug subsidy under section 1860D-14 of the Act, they must 
self-certify on the application form the applicant's income, resources, 
and family size. Once each year, we electronically transmit the 
identifying information of each current subsidy recipient to IRS.
    When there is a match of individual identifier, IRS discloses to 
us:
    a. Payee Account Number,
    b. Payee Name and Mailing Address,
    c. Payee Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN),
    d. Payer Name and Address,
    e. Payer TIN, and
    f. Income Type and Amount.
    System(s) of Records: We will provide IRS with identifying 
information with respect to applicants for, and recipients of, the 
prescription drug subsidy from the existing Medicare Database (MDB 
File) system of records, 60-0321 published at 71 FR 42159 (July 25, 
2006). Unearned income information provided by IRS is maintained in the 
MDB File. IRS extracts return information with respect to unearned 
income from the IRMF, Treasury/IRS 22.061, as published at 77 FR 47946 
(August 10, 2012).

[FR Doc. 2017-23280 Filed 10-25-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4191-02-P