Notice2023-09753
Notice of Fee Increase for Our Electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification Service
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 9, 2023
Effective
July 10, 2023
Issuing agencies
Social Security Administration
Abstract
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is announcing a change in the subscription tier structure and associated fees for the electronic Consent Based Social Security Number (SSN) Verification (eCBSV) service. In accordance with statutory requirements, a permitted entity (PE) is required to provide payment to reimburse SSA for the development and support of the eCBSV system.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 89 (Tuesday, May 9, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29959-29960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09753]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
[Docket No. SSA 2023-0003]
Notice of Fee Increase for Our Electronic Consent Based Social
Security Number Verification Service
AGENCY: Social Security Administration.
ACTION: Notice of fee increase.
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SUMMARY: The Social Security Administration (SSA) is announcing a
change in the subscription tier structure and associated fees for the
electronic Consent Based Social Security Number (SSN) Verification
(eCBSV) service. In accordance with statutory requirements, a permitted
entity (PE) is required to provide payment to reimburse SSA for the
development and support of the eCBSV system.
DATES: Applicability date for fee increase: The revised subscription
tier structure and associated fees will go into effect for subscription
payments made on or after July 10, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher David, Office of Data
Exchange, Policy Publications, and International Negotiations, Social
Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland
21235-6401, (866) 395-8801, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a0c5e3e2f3f6e0d3d3c18ec7cfd6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7e1b3d3c2d283e0d0d1f50191108">[email protected]</span></a>.
For information on eligibility or filing for benefits, call SSA's
national toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 or TTY 1-800-325-0778, or
visit SSA's internet site, Social Security Online, at <a href="https://www.socialsecurity.gov">https://www.socialsecurity.gov</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 215 of the Economic Growth,
Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act \1\ (the Banking Bill)
directs SSA to modify or develop a database for accepting and comparing
fraud protection data \2\ provided electronically by a PE.\3\ In
response to this statutory directive, SSA created eCBSV, a fee-based
SSN verification service. eCBSV allows PEs to submit, based on the
number holder's consent,\4\ the SSN, name, and date of birth of the
number holder in connection with a credit transaction or a circumstance
described in section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act to SSA
[[Page 29960]]
for verification via an application programming interface. Each PE must
submit a certification statement \5\ that the PE is in compliance with
the Banking Bill as part of their application to SSA.
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\1\ Public Law 115-174, codified at 42 U.S.C. 405b.
\2\ The Banking Bill defines ``Fraud Protection Data'' to mean a
combination of an individual's name (including the first name and
any family forename or surname), SSN, and date of birth (including
month, day, and year). Public Law 115-174, title II, 215(b)(3),
codified at 42 U.S.C. 405b(b)(3).
\3\ The Banking Bill defines a ``permitted entity'' to mean a
financial institution or service provider, subsidiary, affiliate,
agent, subcontractor, or assignee of a financial institution. Public
Law 115-174, title II, 215(b)(4), codified at 42 U.S.C. 405b(b)(4).
They must possess an Employer Identification Number and a Dun and
Bradstreet number.
\4\ Under the eCBSV User Agreement, valid Written Consent must
meet the requirements of applicable Federal law, SSA's regulations,
and section IV of the eCBSV User Agreement. Valid Written consent
must include a wet or electronic signature. Section IV.A.1. eCBSV
User Agreement. Electronic signatures must meet the definition in
section 106 of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National
Commerce Act (15 U.S.C. 7006). 42 U.S.C. 405b(f)(2); section IV.E.
eCBSV User Agreement. The written consent must clearly specify to
whom the information may be disclosed, the information you want us
to disclose (e.g., SSN verification) and, where applicable, during
which timeframe the information may be disclosed (e.g., whenever the
subject individual is receiving specific services). 20 CFR 401.100.
\5\ The permitted entity must certify that (1) the entity is a
permitted entity; (2) the entity is in compliance with section 215;
(3) the entity is, and will remain, in compliance with its privacy
and data security requirements in title V of 15 U.S.C. 6801, et
seq., with respect to the information the entity receives from the
Commissioner of Social Security pursuant to this section; and (4)
the entity will retain sufficient records to demonstrate its
compliance with its certification and section 215 for a period of
not less than 2 years. 42 U.S.C. 405b(e)(1)-(3).
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SSA revised the subscription tier structure and associated fees for
eCBSV in 2022 but program participation remains markedly lower than
estimated by the financial industry. Limited program participation has
led us to re-evaluate the fees we charge our customers.
Fees
The public cost burden is dependent upon the number of PEs using
the service and the annual transaction volume. We based the revised
tier fee schedule below on 20 participating PEs in fiscal year (FY)
2023 submitting an anticipated volume of 65 million transactions.\6\
The total cost for developing and operating the service is $53 million
through FY 2022. Of this amount, $38 million remains unrecovered/
unreimbursed. The new subscription tier structure and associated fees
are intended to recover these costs over a three-year period, assuming
projected enrollments and transaction volumes meet these projections.
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\6\ At the time we completed our evaluation in November 2022, we
projected 20 participating PEs for FY 2023, and the new tiers were
based on these projected 20 PEs. As more PEs join, we will capture
them in our future evaluations, and adjust the tiers at that time,
if necessary.
eCBSV Tier Fee Schedule
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Tier Annual volume threshold Annual fee
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1......................... Up to 10,000 (1-10,000)..... $7,000
2......................... Up to 200,000 (10,001- 130,000
200,000).
3......................... Up to 1 million (200,001-1 630,000
million).
4......................... Up to 2.5 million (1,000,001- 1,500,000
2.5 million).
5......................... Up to 5 million (2,500,001-5 3,000,000
million).
6......................... Up to 10 million (5,000,001- 4,500,000
10 million).
7......................... Up to 15 million (10,000,001- 5,000,000
15 million).
8......................... Up to 20 million (15,000,001- 6,250,000
20 million).
9......................... Up to 25 million (20,000,001- 7,250,000
25 million).
10........................ Up to 75 million (25,000,001- 8,250,000
75 million).
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Each enrolled PE will be required to remit the above tier-based
subscription fee for the 365-day agreement period starting on or after
July 10, 2023.\7\ Fees are calculated based on forecasted systems and
operational expenses, agency oversight, overhead, and Certified Public
Accountant audit contract costs.
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\7\ As of April 25, 2022, SSA no longer charged a separate
administrative fee in addition to the tier-based subscription fee.
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Section 215(h)(1)(B) of the Banking Bill requires that the
Commissioner shall ``periodically adjust'' the price paid by users to
ensure that amounts collected are sufficient to fully offset the costs
of administering the eCBSV system. On at least an annual basis, SSA
will monitor costs incurred to provide eCBSV services and will revise
the tier fee schedule accordingly. We will notify PEs of the tier fee
schedule in effect at the renewal of eCBSV user agreements, when a PE
begins a new 365-day agreement period, and via notice in the Federal
Register. PE renewals will be governed by the tier in effect at the
time of renewal.
Michelle King,
Deputy Commissioner, Office of Budget, Finance, and Management, Social
Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-09753 Filed 5-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P
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