[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 192 (Thursday, October 3, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80623-80624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22769]


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

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2024-0014]


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as 
amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the Railroad 
Board (RRB). Under this matching program, the RRB will disclose to SSA 
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 November 4, 2024.
    The matching program will be applicable on March 30, 2025, 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-2024-0014 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 http://www.regulations.gov. Use the ``Search'' function to find docket number 
SSA-2024-0014 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 (410) 966-0869.
    3. Mail: Matthew Ramsey, Executive Director, Office of Privacy and 
Disclosure, Office of the General Counsel, Social Security 
Administration, G-401 WHR, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 
21235-6401, or emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0845697c7c606d7f265a69657b6d71487b7b69266f677e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="35785441415d50421b67545846504c754646541b525a43">[email protected]</span></a>. Comments are also 
available for public viewing on the Federal eRulemaking portal at 
http://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 Andrea Huseth, Division 
Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the General 
Counsel, Social Security Administration, G-401 WHR, 6401 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, at telephone: (410) 966-1943, or 
send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#73300a1d071b1a125d20101c0707330000125d141c05"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="56152f38223e3f377805353922221625253778313920">[email protected]</span></a>.

Matthew Ramsey,
Executive Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the 
General Counsel.

Participating Agencies

    SSA and RRB.

Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    This matching agreement between RRB and SSA is executed pursuant to 
the Privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended by the Computer 
Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, and the Office of 
Management and Budget Final Guidance interpreting those Acts.
    The legal authority for the disclosures under this agreement is the 
Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3)), which authorizes 
a Federal agency to disclose information from its system of records, 
without prior written consent, when such disclosure is pursuant to a 
routine use.
    The legal authority for SSA to conduct this matching activity is 
sections 1144 and 1860D-14 of the Social Security Act (Act) (42 U.S.C. 
1320b-14 and 1395w-114).

Purpose(s)

    This matching agreement establishes the conditions under which the 
RRB will disclose to SSA information necessary to verify an 
individual's self certification of eligibility for Extra Help. It will 
also enable SSA to identify

[[Page 80624]]

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 individuals who self certify for Extra Help or may qualify 
for Extra Help. SSA matches RRB's information with its Medicare 
Database (MDB) File, which includes claimants; applicants; 
beneficiaries; ineligible spouses; and potential claimants for Medicare 
Part A, Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage Part C, Medicare Part D and 
for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage subsidies.

Categories of Records

    RRB will transmit its annuity payment data monthly from its RRB-22, 
Railroad Retirement Survivors and Pension Benefits System, system of 
records. The file will consist of approximately 600,000 electronic 
records.
    RRB will transmit its Post Entitlement System file daily. The 
number of records will differ each day but consists of approximately 
3,000 to 4,000 records each month.
    RRB will transmit files on all Medicare eligible Qualified Railroad 
Retirement Beneficiaries from its RRB-20, Health Insurance and 
Supplementary Medical Insurance Enrollment and Premium Payment System 
(Medicare), and RRB-22 systems of records to report address changes and 
subsidy changing event information monthly. The file will consist of 
approximately 520,000 electronic records. The number of people who 
apply for Extra Help determines, in part, on the number of records 
matched.
    SSA's comparison file will consist of approximately 90 million 
records obtained from the MDB File.
    SSA will conduct the match using each individual's Social Security 
number, name, date of birth, RRB claim number, and RRB annuity payment 
amount in both RRB and the MDB File.

System(s) of Records

    RRB will provide SSA with data from its RRB-22 system of records, 
last published on September 30, 2014 (79 FR 58886), and RRB-20 systems 
of records, last published on May 15, 2015 (80 FR 28018).
    SSA will match RRB's data with its MDB File, system of records No. 
60-0321, published on July 25, 2006 (71 FR 42159), and amended on 
December 10, 2007 (72 FR 69723) and November 1, 2018 (83 FR 54969).

[FR Doc. 2024-22769 Filed 10-2-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>