[Federal Register: January 20, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 12)]
[Notices]
[Page 3012-3013]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20ja98-112]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; Computer Matching Program SSA/
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)--SSA Consolidated Match Numbers
1005, 1019, 1020, 1021

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of Computer Matching Program.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as
amended, this notice announces a computer matching program that SSA
plans to conduct with OPM.

DATES: SSA will file a report of the subject matching program with the
Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on
Government Reform and Oversight of the House of Representatives and the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). The matching program will be effective as indicated
below.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by either
telefax to (410) 966-2935 or writing to the Associate Commissioner for
Program Support, 4400 West High Rise Building, 6401 Security Boulevard,
Baltimore, MD 21235. All comments received will be available for public
inspection at this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Associate Commissioner for Program
Support at the address shown above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. General

    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
establishing the conditions under which computer matching involving the
Federal government could be performed and adding certain protections
for individuals 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
individuals.
    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. Among other
things, 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 the approval of the match agreement by the Data
Integrity Boards (DIB) of the participating Federal Agencies;
    (3) Furnish detailed reports about matching programs to Congress
and OMB;
    (4) Notify applicants and beneficiaries that their records are
subject to matching; and
    (5) Verify match findings before reducing, suspending, terminating
or denying an individual's benefits or payments.

B. SSA Computer Matches Subject to the Privacy Act

    We have taken action to ensure that all of SSA's computer matching
programs comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act, as amended.

    Dated: December 19, 1997.
Kenneth S. Apfel,
Commissioner of Social Security.

Notice of Computer Matching Program, Social Security Administration
(SSA) With the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

A. Participating Agencies

    SSA and OPM.

B. Purpose of the Matching Program

    This matching program will have four separate components. The
purposes of each of these parts are as follows.
    SSA Match 1021: SSA will match OPM's civil service benefit and
payment data with SSA's records of beneficiaries receiving Social
Security spouse's benefits which are subject to reduction under the
Social Security Act when the beneficiary is also receiving a government
pension based on employment not covered under that Act. SSA will match
the OPM data to verify information provided (or identify information
that should have been provided) by the SSA beneficiary at the time of
initially applying for Social Security benefits and on a continuing
basis to ensure that any reduction in Social Security benefits is based
on the current pension amount.
     SSA Match 1020: OPM records will be used in a matching program
wherein SSA will match OPM's benefit data with SSA's records for
disabled and retired annuitants. These annuitants may be subject to the
use of a modified benefit computation formula used by SSA under the
Social Security Act for certain persons who receive both a civil
service benefit and a Social Security retirement or disability benefit.
SSA will use the OPM data to verify the pension or annuity information
provided (or to identify such information that should have been
provided) directly to SSA by the retirees/annuitants.
     SSA Match 1005: OPM records will be used in a matching program
where SSA will match OPM's data with SSA's records to verify the
accuracy of information furnished by applicants and recipients
concerning eligibility factors for the SSI program as authorized by
section 1631(e)(1)(B) and (f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1383(e)(1)(B) and (f)). The SSI program provides payments to
individuals who have income and resources below levels established by
law and regulations.

[[Page 3013]]

    SSA Match 1019: SSA will match OPM's records of civil service
disability benefit and payment data with SSA's records of Social
Security disability insurance (DI) benefits to identify DI
beneficiaries whose benefits should be reduced under the Act because
the disabled worker is receiving a civil service disability annuity
benefit. SSA will match the OPM data to verify information provided (or
identify such information that should have been provided) by the
disabled worker at the time of initially applying for Social Security
benefits and on a continuous basis to ensure any reduction in Social
Security disability benefits is based on the current civil service
disability benefit amount.

C. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

     SSA Match 1021: Section 202(b)(4)(A), (c)(2)(A), (e)(7)(A),
(f)(2)(A), and (g)(u)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
402(b)(4)(A), (c)(2)(A), (e)(7)(A), (f)(2)(A) and (g)(4)(A)).
    SSA Match 1020: Sections 215 (a)(7) and 215 (d)(3) of the Social
Security Act ((42 U.S.C. 415 (a)(7) and 415 (d)(3)).
     SSA Match 1005: Section 1631 (e)(1)(B) and (f) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1383 (e)(1)(B) and (f)).
    SSA Match 1019: Section 224 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
424).

D. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match

    OPM will provide SSA with an electronic file extracted from OPM's
Annuity and Survivor Masterfile. The extracted file will contain
information about each new annuitant and annuitants whose pension
amount has changed. Each record on the OPM file will be matched to
SSA's Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) or Supplemental Security Income
Record (SSR) for the purposes described above in Section B.

E. Inclusive Dates of the Match

    The matching program shall become effective upon the signing of the
agreement by both parties to the agreement and approval of the
agreement by the Data Integrity Boards of the respective agencies, but
no sooner than 40 days after notice of this matching program is sent to
Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) or 30 days after
publication of this notice in the Federal Register, whichever is later.
The matching program will continue for 18 months from the effective
date and may be extended for an additional 12 months thereafter, if
certain conditions are met.

[FR Doc. 98-1176 Filed 1-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4190-29-P