[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 3, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-32258]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Social Security Administration


Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Programs (SSA/States Wage, 
Unemployment Compensation (UC) Files, Match Numbers 1140 and 1142)

AGENCY: SSA, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of computer matching programs.

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

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

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by either 
telefax to (410) 966-5138, or writing to the Associate Commissioner for 
Program and Integrity Reviews, 860 Altmeyer 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 
and Integrity Reviews as shown above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. General

    The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 
100-503) amended the Privacy Act of 1979 (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. The 
Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Amendments of 1990, set out in 
section 7201 of 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) Make written agreements with the other agency or agencies 
participating in the matching programs;
    (2) Obtain their Data Integrity Boards' approval of the match 
agreements;
    (3) Furnish detailed reports about matching programs to Congress 
and the Office of Management and Budget;
    (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 these computer matching 
programs comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act, as amended.

    Dated: December 15, 1994.
Shirley S. Chater,
Commissioner of Social Security.

Notice of Computer Matching Programs, States' Income Eligibility 
Verification System Records With the Social Security Administration 
(SSA)

A. Participating Agencies

    SSA and the States.

B. Purpose of the Matching Programs

    Section 1137 of the Social Security Act (the Act) requires 
individual States to have in effect an income and eligibility 
verification system which meet certain requirements. Among other 
requirements, such a State verification system must provide for certain 
exchanges of information when relevant information may be of use in 
establishing or verifying eligibility or benefit amounts under benefit 
programs affected by the statute.
    The purpose of these matching programs is to enable SSA to 
implement procedures consistent with requirements of section 1137 of 
the Act. The agreements with the States will describe the conditions 
under which SSA and the States agree to disclose information to each 
other relating to the eligibility for, and payment of, Social Security 
and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

C. Authority for Conducting the Matching Programs

    Section 1137 of the Act (a)(4)(B) (42 U.S.C. 1320b-7).

D. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Matching 
Programs

    SSA will provide the States with a finder file containing names and 
other identifying information of beneficiaries/ recipients from SSA's 
benefit rolls. This information will be matched by each State with its 
wage and unemployment compensation files and a reply file of matched 
records will be furnished to SSA. Upon receipt of a State's reply file, 
SSA will match the names from the State file with the names on SSA's 
records to ensure that the State data pertain to the relevant Social 
Security or SSI recipients.

E. Inclusive Dates of the Match

    The matching program shall become effective 40 days after a copy of 
the agreement, as approved by the Data Integrity Board, is sent to 
Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) (or later if OMB 
objects to some or all of the agreement), or 30 days after publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register, whichever date is later. The 
matching programs 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. 95-32258 Filed 12-30-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4190-29-P