Notice2023-03704
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
Primary source
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Published
February 23, 2023
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentChildren and Families Administration
Abstract
In accordance with subsection (e)(12) of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Office of the Chief Technology Officer (HHS/ACF/OCTO), is providing notice of a re-established matching program between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAAs) participating in the Public Assistance Reporting System (PARIS) Program. The matching program provides the SPAAs with VA's compensation and pension data on a periodic basis to use in determining public assistance applicants' and recipients' eligibility for certain public assistance benefits. HHS/ ACF/OPRE facilitates the matching program, and the Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center (DoD/DMDC) conducts the matches of SPAA and VA data and provides associated support.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11445-11446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03704]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children & Families
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
AGENCY: Administration for Children & Families, Department of Health
and Human Services.
ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with subsection (e)(12) of the Privacy Act of
1974, as amended, the Department of Health and Human Services,
Administration for Children & Families, Office of the Chief Technology
Officer (HHS/ACF/OCTO), is providing notice of a re-established
matching program between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and
State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAAs) participating in the Public
Assistance Reporting System (PARIS) Program. The matching program
provides the SPAAs with VA's compensation and pension data on a
periodic basis to use in determining public assistance applicants' and
recipients' eligibility for certain public assistance benefits. HHS/
ACF/OPRE facilitates the matching program, and the Department of
Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center (DoD/DMDC) conducts the matches
of SPAA and VA data and provides associated support.
DATES: The deadline for comments on this notice is March 27, 2023. The
re-established matching program will commence not sooner than 30 days
after publication of this notice, provided no comments are received
that warrant a change to this notice. The matching program will be
conducted for an initial term of 18 months (from approximately March
2023 through September 2024), and within three months of expiration may
be renewed for one additional year if the parties make no change to the
matching program and certify that the program has been conducted in
compliance with the matching agreement.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit written comments on this
notice by mail or email to the Chief Technology Officer, HHS/ACF Tech,
330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20024, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e999889b809aa9888a8fc781819ac78e869f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c9b9a8bba0ba89a8aaafe7a1a1bae7aea6bf">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General questions about the matching
program may be submitted to Kevin Duvall, Chief Technology Officer, ACF
Tech, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20024, 202-401-5680, or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#235342514a50634240450d4b4b500d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2c5c4d5e455f6c4d4f4a0244445f024b435a">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5
U.S.C. 552a), provides certain protections for individuals applying for
and receiving Federal benefits. The law governs the use of computer
matching by Federal agencies when records in a system of records
(meaning, Federal agency records about individuals retrieved by name or
other personal identifier) are matched with records of other Federal or
non-Federal agencies. The Privacy Act requires agencies involved in a
matching program to the following:
1. Obtain approval of a Computer Matching Agreement, prepared in
accordance with the Privacy Act, by the Data Integrity Board of each
Federal agency that is a source, or recipient of data used in the
matching program. 5 U.S.C. 522a(o)(1), (u)(3)(A) and (u)(4).
2. Provide adequate advance notice of the matching program,
including a copy of the agreement, to Congress and the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)(2)(A)(i) and (r).
3. Publish advance notice of the matching program in the Federal
Register. 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(12).
4. Make the Computer Matching Agreement available to the public. 5
U.S.C. 552a(o)(2)(A)(ii).
5. Notify the individuals whose information will be used in the
matching program that the information they provide is subject to
verification through matching, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)(1)(D).
6. Verify match findings before suspending, terminating, reducing,
or making a final denial of an individual's benefits or payments, or
taking other adverse action against the individual, as required by 5
U.S.C. 552a(p).
7. Provide an annual report of the matching program activities to
Congress and OMB, and make the report available to the public. 5 U.S.C.
552a(u)(3)(D).
This matching program meets these requirements.
Kevin M. Duvall,
Chief Technology Officer, ACF.
Participating Agencies
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the source agency, and
State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAAs) are non-Federal agencies.
Authority for Conducting the Matching Program
Sections 402, 1137, and 1903(r) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. secs. 602(a), 1320b-7, and 1396b(r)).
Purpose(s)
The matching program will provide participating SPAAs with VA's
compensation and pension data on a periodic basis to use in determining
public assistance applicants' and recipients' eligibility for benefits
under the Medicaid, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF),
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and general
assistance programs, and to use in helping relevant veterans to better
understand similar benefits available through the VA that may be better
alternatives. The matching program helps ensure fair and equitable
treatment in the delivery of benefits attributable to funds provided by
the Federal Government.
Categories of Individuals
The categories of individuals involved in the matching program are
the following:
<bullet> Individuals applying for or receiving Medicaid, TANF,
SNAP, and/or general assistance benefits (public assistance clients);
and
<bullet> Individuals receiving VA pay or pension benefits.
Categories of Records
The categories of records used in the matching program are
identifying information, compensation, and pension data.
On an approximately quarterly basis, VA will provide DoD/DMDC with
a file containing VA benefit record data for most VA benefit and
compensation recipients. SPAAs will also provide DoD/DMDC with a non-
Federal file containing identifying information, including Social
Security Numbers (SSNs), about public assistance clients. DoD/DMDC will
compare the SSNs in
[[Page 11446]]
each SPAA file to the VA file and will provide the SPAA with match
results containing the following data elements (as applicable) about
each public assistance client whose SSN matches the SSN of an
individual receiving VA compensation or pension benefits:
VA File Number; Veteran/Beneficiary/Apportionee SSN and SSN
Verification Indicator; Payee Type Code; Award Type, Award Line Type,
and Award Status Codes; Gender Code; Last Name/First Name/Middle Name;
Beneficiary Birth Date; Veteran/Spouse Aid and Attendance Code; Station
Number; Spouse; Minor Child; School Child; Helpless Child; Parent;
Combined Degree; Entitlement Type Code; Change Reason; Suspense Reason;
Last Paid Date; Effective Date; Gross Amount; Net Award Amount; Payment
Amount; Frequency Pay Type Code; Income for VA Purposes Amount;
Beneficiary/Spouse Annual Amounts (for Wages, Insurance, Interest,
Social Security, Civil Service Retirement, Military, Railroad
Retirement Board, Black Lung, and Rest); Beneficiary/Spouse Rest of
Exclusion Amount; Medical Expense/Education Expense/Last Expense/
Hardship Amounts; Receivable/Receivable Amount; Monthly Deductions/
Deduction Amount; Proceeds/Proceeds Amount; Address Type Indicator;
Address Name/Fiduciary; Address Fiduciary Type; Address Name
Beneficiary; Corporate Format Address (Address Lines One, Two, and
Three, City Name, State Name, ZIP Code Prefix and Suffix, Country Type
Name, Foreign Postal Code, Province Name, Territory Name, Military
Postal Type, Military Post Office); and, Benefits Delivery Network
Treasury Address and ZIP Code Prefix.
System(s) of Records
The VA data used in this matching program will be disclosed from
the following system of records, as authorized by routine use 35:
``Compensation, Pension, Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation and
Employment Records--VA (58VA21/22/28),'' 86 FR 61858 (Nov. 8, 2021).
[FR Doc. 2023-03704 Filed 2-17-23; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P
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