Notice2025-06167

Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

Primary source

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Published
April 11, 2025

Issuing agencies

Social Security Administration

Abstract

In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the United Stated Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support Services (OCSS). Under this matching program, OCSS will provide SSA with quarterly wage (QW) and unemployment insurance (UI) information located in the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) to allow SSA to determine eligibility of applicants for Extra Help (low-income subsidy assistance) under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003. This agreement assists SSA in determining eligibility of applicants for Extra Help, redetermining eligibility of existing Extra Help beneficiaries during periodic screening, and administering the Extra Help program.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 69 (Friday, April 11, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 69 (Friday, April 11, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15503-15505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-06167]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2024-0051]


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as 
amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the United 
Stated Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support 
Services (OCSS). Under this matching program, OCSS will provide SSA 
with quarterly wage (QW) and unemployment insurance (UI) information 
located in the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) to allow SSA to 
determine eligibility of applicants for Extra Help (low-income subsidy 
assistance) under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 
Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003. This agreement assists SSA in 
determining eligibility of applicants for Extra Help, redetermining 
eligibility of existing Extra Help beneficiaries during periodic 
screening, and administering the Extra Help program.

DATES: The deadline to submit comments on the proposed matching program 
is May 12, 2025.
    The matching program will be applicable on May 27, 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

[[Page 15504]]

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-2024-0051 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 
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Use the Search function to find docket 
number SSA-2024-0051 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 (833) 410-1631.
    3. Mail: Matthew Ramsey, Executive Director, Office of Privacy and 
Disclosure, Office of Law and Policy, Social Security Administration, 
6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, or emailing 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9f4d8cdcdd1dcce97ebd8d4cadcc0f9cacad897ded6cf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9fd2feebebf7fae8b1cdfef2ecfae6dfececfeb1f8f0e9">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Comments are also available for public viewing 
on the Federal eRulemaking portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> 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 Law and Policy, 
Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 
21235-6401, at telephone: (410) 608-9675, or send an email to 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#06676862746367286e737563726e4675756728616970"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="57363933253236793f222432233f1724243679303821">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: None.

Matthew Ramsey,
Executive Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of Law and 
Policy.

Participating Agencies

    SSA and OCSS.

Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    This computer matching agreement (agreement) between OCSS and SSA 
is executed pursuant to the Social Security Act (Act) and the Privacy 
Act of 1974, as amended. Subsection 453(j)(4) of the Act provides that 
OCSS shall provide the Commissioner of SSA with all information in the 
NDNH. 42 U.S.C. 653(j)(4). SSA has authority to use the data to 
determine entitlement to and eligibility for programs it administers 
pursuant to sections 1631(e)(1)(B) and(f), and 1860D-14(a)(3) of the 
Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. 1383(e)(1)(B) and (f), and 1395w-114(a)(3)). 
Disclosures under this agreement are authorized by routine uses 
published in each agency's applicable System of Records Notice pursuant 
to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3).
    The Act provides that the determination of whether a Part D 
eligible individual residing in a state is a subsidy eligible 
individual shall be determined under the state plan for medical 
assistance or by the Commissioner of Social Security. 42 U.S.C. 1395w-
114(a)(3)(B)(i).
    SSA has independent authority to collect this information regarding 
Medicare Parts A-D eligibility and premium calculations via sections 
202-205, 223, 226, 228, 1611, 1631, 1818, 1836, 1839, 1840, and 1860D-1 
to 1860D-15 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 402-405, 423, 426, 428, 1382, 1383, 
1395i-2, 1395o, 1395r, 1395s, and 1395w-101 to 1395w-115).

Purpose(s)

    This agreement governs a matching program between OCSS and SSA. 
OCSS will provide SSA with QW and UI information from the NDNH to 
assist SSA in determining eligibility of applicants for Extra Help 
(low-income subsidy assistance) under the Medicare Prescription Drug, 
Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-173) 
(Extra Help). This agreement also governs the use, treatment, and 
safeguarding of the information exchanged. OCSS is the ``source 
agency'' and SSA is the ``recipient agency,'' as defined by the Privacy 
Act. 5 U.S.C. 552a(a)(9) and (11).
    This matching program assists SSA in: (1) determining eligibility 
of applicants for Extra Help; (2) redetermining eligibility of existing 
Extra Help beneficiaries during periodic screening; and (3) 
administering the Extra Help program.
    The Privacy Act provides that no record contained in a system of 
records (SOR) may be disclosed for use in a computer matching program, 
except pursuant to a written agreement containing specified provisions. 
5 U.S.C. 552a(o). SSA and OCSS are executing this agreement to comply 
with the Privacy Act and the regulations and guidance promulgated 
thereunder. OCSS and SSA have been parties to matching agreements for 
this purpose since April 1, 2005.

Categories of Individuals

    The individuals whose information is involved in this matching 
program are applicants and beneficiaries of Extra Help (low-income 
subsidy assistance).

Categories of Records

    SSA will provide OCSS the following data elements electronically in 
the finder file:

<bullet> Client's Own Social Security Number (COSSN)
<bullet> Name

    OCSS will provide electronically to SSA the following data elements 
from the NDNH QW file:

<bullet> QW record identifier
<bullet> For employees:
    (1) Name (first, middle, last)
    (2) SSN
    (3) Verification request code
    (4) Processed date
    (5) Non-verifiable indicator
    (6) Wage amount
    (7) Reporting period
<bullet> For employers of individuals in the QW file of the NDNH:
    (1) Name
    (2) Employer identification number
    (3) Address(es)
<bullet> Transmitter Agency Code
<bullet> Transmitter State Code
<bullet> State or Agency Name

    OCSS will provide electronically to SSA the following data elements 
from the NDNH UI file:

<bullet> UI record identifier
<bullet> Processed date
<bullet> SSN
<bullet> Verification request code
<bullet> Name (first, middle, last)
<bullet> Address
<bullet> UI benefit amount
<bullet> Reporting period
<bullet> Transmitter Agency Code
<bullet> Transmitter State Code
<bullet> State or Agency Name

    Data Elements SSA updates in the OCSS Financial Items (OCSSFITM) 
table if there is a match:

<bullet> QW record identifier
<bullet> For employees:
    (1) Employee's SSN
    (2) Employee's wage amount
    (3) Reporting period
<bullet> For employers of individuals:
    (1) Employer identification number
    (2) Employer's name
<bullet> Unemployment Insurance identifier:
    (1) Claimant SSN
    (2) Unemployment insurance benefit amount
    (3) Reporting period

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    (4) Transmitter State Name

System(s) of Records

    SSA's SOR is the Medicare Database file SOR, No. 60-0321, last 
fully published at 71 FR 42159 (July 25, 2006), amended at 72 FR 69723 
(December 10, 2007), and at 83 FR 54969 (November 1, 2018).
    OCSS will match SSA's information in the MDB against the QW and UI 
information furnished by state and federal agencies maintained in its 
SOR, ``OCSS National Directory of New Hires'' (NDNH), No. 09-80-0381, 
published in the Federal Register in full at 89 FR 25625 (April 11, 
2024).

[FR Doc. 2025-06167 Filed 4-10-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on April 11, 2025.

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