Notice2026-07300
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
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
April 15, 2026
Effective
May 15, 2026
Issuing agencies
Social Security Administration
Abstract
In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, we are issuing public notice of our intent to modify an existing system of records entitled, Electronic Disability Claim File (60-0320), hereinafter referred to as the eDIB Claim File, last published on June 24, 2020. This notice publishes details of the modified system as set forth below under the caption, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 72 (Wednesday, April 15, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 72 (Wednesday, April 15, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20248-20252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07300]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
[Docket No. SSA-2025-0022]
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).
ACTION: Notice of a modified system of records.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, we are issuing
public notice of our intent to modify an existing system of records
entitled, Electronic Disability Claim File (60-0320), hereinafter
referred to as the eDIB Claim File, last published on June 24, 2020.
This notice publishes details of the modified system as set forth below
under the caption, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
DATES: The system of records notice (SORN) is applicable upon its
publication in today's Federal Register, with the exception of the new
routine uses, which are effective May 15, 2026.
We invite public comment on the routine uses or other aspects of
this SORN. In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, we are providing
the public a 30-day period in which to submit comments. Therefore,
please submit any comments by May 15, 2026.
ADDRESSES: The public, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and
Congress may comment on this publication by writing to the Head of
Privacy and Disclosure Policy, Privacy and Disclosure Policy, Law and
Policy, SSA, Room G-401 West High Rise, 6401 Security Boulevard,
Baltimore, Maryland 21235-6401, or through the Federal e-Rulemaking
Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Please reference docket number
SSA-2025-0022. All comments we receive will be available for public
inspection at the above address and we will post them to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tristin Dorsey, Government Information
Specialist, Privacy Implementation Division, Privacy and Disclosure
Policy, Law and Policy, SSA, Room G-401 West High Rise, 6401 Security
Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235-6401, telephone: (410) 965-1727,
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eea1a9adc0a1beaac0bda1bca0ae9d9d8fc0898198"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="da959d99f4958a9ef4899588949aa9a9bbf4bdb5ac">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are clarifying the system location to
clarify the offices in which we will maintain records and recognize
that we may also maintain records in a cloud-based environment. We are
modifying the system manager to reflect the accurate SSA office. We are
expanding the authority for the maintenance of the system to include
sections 702 and 1633 of the Social Security Act, as amended. We are
expanding the purposes for which we may use the information in this
system to include tracking opt-in and opt-out of electronic messaging
selections. We are deleting vendor information from medical examiners
or providers from the categories of records, as it is duplicative. We
are also expanding the categories of records to include opt-in and opt-
out of electronic messaging selections; information about a medical
examiner or provider (e.g., license number, license expiration date);
and clarifying that the tax identification number for medical examiner
or provider may also include Social Security number (SSN).
In addition, we are revising existing routine use Nos. 2, 3, 4, 10,
11, 12, 15, 17, 20, and 22 for easier reading. We are clarifying
routine use No. 6 to explain when we are making disclosures to an
individual when information about themselves or others, which is filed
under someone else's SSN, affects the individual's entitlement to
social security benefits or the amount of those benefits. We are
expanding the entities listed in existing routine use No. 25 to include
cooperative agreement awardees.
We are deleting sub-bullets (iv) and (v) of routine use No. 4
because we added a new routine use, which covers the intent of those
sub-bullets and will permit disclosures to third parties, when an
individual involved with a request needs assistance to communicate
because of a hearing impairment or a language barrier (e.g., to
interpreters, telecommunications relay system operators). We are
deleting sub-bullet (b) of routine use No. 10 because existing routine
use No. 3 covers the intent of the sub-bullet, which permits
disclosures to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for litigation purposes.
We are also adding two additional routine uses that will permit
disclosures to the following:
<bullet> limited information to third parties, as necessary, to
reach claimants, beneficiaries, and others SSA has a business need to
reach related to records in this system, and
<bullet> the U.S. Department of the Treasury, to review SSA's
payment and award eligibility through the Do Not Pay Working System for
the purpose of identifying, preventing, or recouping fraud and improper
payments when disclosure meets the requirements in 20 CFR 401.150(c).
Lastly, we are modifying the policies and practices for the
retrieval of records to clarify that we will retrieve records by the
medical examiner or provider's name and tax identification number. We
are modifying the administrative, technical, and physical safeguards
for easier reading. We are modifying the notice throughout to correct
miscellaneous stylistic formatting and typographical errors of the
previously published notice, and to ensure the language reads
consistently across multiple systems. We are republishing the entire
notice for ease of reference.
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(r), we provided a report to OMB
and Congress on this modified system of records.
Matthew Ramsey,
Head of Privacy and Disclosure Policy, Law and Policy.
SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
Electronic Disability (eDIB) Claim File, 60-0320
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
Unclassified.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
eDIB Claim Files are virtually established in SSA field offices
when claims for benefits are filed, or a lead is expected to result in
a claim (See Appendix E at <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/privacy/sorn/app_e.htm">https://www.ssa.gov/privacy/sorn/app_e.htm</a>
for field office locations).
Electronic records are maintained at: Social Security
Administration, Chief Information Officer, National Computer Center,
6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235.
Information is also located in additional locations in connection
with cloud-based services and kept at an additional location as backup
for business continuity purposes.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
Social Security Administration, Head of Disability Policy, Law and
Policy,
[[Page 20249]]
6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235, (410) 965-1727.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
Sections 202-205, 216, 221, 223-226, 228, 702, 1611-1614, 1631,
1633, 1818, 1836, 1840 of the Social Security Act, as amended.
PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
We use the information in this system of records to:
<bullet> Pursue claims;
<bullet> Collect, document, organize, and maintain information and
documents for making determinations of eligibility for disability
benefits, benefit amounts, and the appropriate payee for benefits;
<bullet> Review continuing eligibility;
<bullet> Hold hearings or administrative review processes;
<bullet> Ensure that proper adjustments are made based on events
affecting entitlement;
<bullet> Answer inquiries;
<bullet> Track opt-in and opt-out of electronic messaging
selections; and
<bullet> Conduct quality review, evaluation, and measurement
studies, and other statistical and research purposes. We may maintain
extracts as interviewing tools, activity logs, records of claims
clearance, and records of type or nature of actions taken.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
This system maintains information about claimants and those acting
on their behalf, applicants, beneficiaries and potential claimants for
disability benefits and payments administered by SSA. The system also
maintains information about medical examiners and medical providers.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
This system maintains records related to the request for, or
continuation of, benefit payments under Titles II and XVI of the Social
Security Act. These records include, but are not limited to, the name,
SSN, and date of birth of the claimant or potential claimant and may
contain the application for benefits; supporting evidence and
documentation for initial and continuing entitlement (e.g., diagnosis,
beginning and end dates of disability, basis for disability
determination, copies of medical reports, work history, educational
level, and reexamination date (if applicable)); date of application;
payment documentation; correspondence to and from claimants or
representatives; information about representative payees; information
received from third parties regarding claimants' potential entitlement;
beneficiary notice control (BNC) number; data collected as a result of
inquiries and complaints or evaluation and measurement studies, which
assess the effectiveness of claims policies; records of post-
adjudicative actions entered directly into the computer processes
(e.g., reports of changes of address and work status); opt-in and opt-
out of electronic messaging selections; and abstracts used for
statistical purposes (e.g., disallowances, technical denials, and
demographic and statistical information relating to disability
decisions).
The system may also include names and titles of persons making or
reviewing the determination and certain administrative data as well as
data relative to the location of the file and the status of the claim.
Finally, this system includes information about a medical examiner
or provider, including but not limited to name, address, tax
identification number, e.g., SSN or employee identification number
(EIN), medical license number, license expiration date, and an
indicator when the medical examiner or provider is listed on the
Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General's
List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE). The LEIE identifies
medical examiners or providers who may submit medical evidence to SSA
that we cannot consider.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
We obtain information in this system from claimants, beneficiaries,
applicants, and recipients; medical examiners and providers;
accumulated by SSA from reports of employers or self-employed
individuals; various local, State, and Federal agencies, including from
the LEIE; claimant representatives; and other sources that support
factors of entitlement and continuing eligibility, (i.e., information
received from third parties regarding a claimant's potential
entitlement or eligibility).
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
We will disclose records pursuant to the following routine uses;
however, we will not disclose any information defined as ``return or
return information'' under 26 U.S.C. 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code
(IRC), unless authorized by statute, the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS), or IRS regulations.
1. To the Office of the President in response to an inquiry from
that office made on behalf of, and at the request of, the subject of
the record or a third party acting on the subject's behalf.
2. To a congressional office in response to an inquiry from that
office made on behalf of, and at the request of, the subject of the
record.
3. To the DOJ, a court or other tribunal, or another party before
such court or tribunal, when:
(a) SSA, or any component thereof; or
(b) any SSA employee in the employee's official capacity; or
(c) any SSA employee in the employee's individual capacity where
DOJ (or SSA where it is authorized to do so) has agreed to represent
the employee; or
(d) the United States or any agency thereof where SSA determines
the litigation is likely to affect SSA or any of its components, SSA is
a party to the litigation or has an interest in such litigation, and
SSA determines that the use of such records by DOJ, a court or other
tribunal, or another party before the tribunal is relevant and
necessary to the litigation, provided, however, that in each case, we
determine that such disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which
the records were collected.
4. To third party contacts (e.g., employers and private pension
plans) in situations where the party to be contacted has, or is
expected to have, information relating to the individual's capability
to manage the individual's benefits or payments, or the individual's
eligibility for or entitlement to benefits or eligibility for payments,
under the Social Security program when:
(a) The individual is unable to provide information being sought.
An individual is considered to be unable to provide certain types of
information when:
i. The individual is incapable or of questionable mental
capability;
ii. The individual cannot read or write;
iii. The individual cannot afford the cost of obtaining the
information; or
iv. The custodian of the information will not, as a matter of
policy, provide it to the individual; or
(b) The data is necessary to establish the validity of evidence or
to verify the accuracy of information presented by the individual, and
it concerns one or more of the following:
i. The individual's eligibility for benefits under the Social
Security program;
ii. the amount of the individual's benefit or payment; or
iii. any case in which the evidence is being reviewed as a result
of suspected abuse or fraud or concern for program integrity, quality
appraisal, or evaluation and measurement activities.
5. To third party contacts, where necessary, to establish or verify
[[Page 20250]]
information provided by representative payees or payee applicants.
6. To an individual, when information about themselves or others,
which is filed under someone else's SSN, affects the individual's
entitlement to Social Security benefits or the amount of those benefits
(e.g., relevant records to an adversely affected beneficiary).
7. To employers, current or former, for correcting or
reconstructing earnings records and for Social Security tax purposes.
8. To the U.S. Department of the Treasury for:
(a) collecting Social Security taxes, or as otherwise pertinent to
tax and benefit payment provisions of the Social Security Act,
including SSN verification services; and
(b) investigating alleged theft, forgery, or unlawful negotiation
of Social Security checks.
9. To the United States Postal Service, for investigating the
alleged theft or forgery of Social Security checks.
10. To DOJ, for the purposes of:
(a) investigating and prosecuting violations of the Social Security
Act to which criminal penalties attach; and
(b) investigating issues of fraud or violations of civil rights by
officers or SSA employees.
11. To the Department of State (DOS), for administration of the
Social Security Act in foreign countries through facilities and
services of that agency.
12. To the American Institute, a private corporation under contract
to the DOS, for administering the Social Security Act in Taiwan through
facilities and services of that agency.
13. To the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Regional Office,
Manila, Philippines, for the administration of the Social Security Act
in the Philippines and other parts of the Asia-Pacific region through
services and facilities of that agency.
14. To the Department of Interior and its agents, for the purpose
of administering the Social Security Act in the Northern Mariana
Islands through facilities and services of that agency.
15. To State Social Security administrators, for administering
agreements pursuant to section 218 of the Social Security Act.
16. To private medical and vocational consultants, for use in
preparing for, or evaluating the results of, consultative medical
examinations or vocational assessments which they were engaged to
perform by SSA or a State agency, in accordance with sections 221 or
1633 of the Social Security Act.
17. To specified businesses and other community members and
Federal, State, and local agencies for verification of eligibility for
benefits under section 1631(e) of the Social Security Act.
18. To claimants, prospective claimants (other than the data
subject), and their appointed representatives and those working with
such representatives (including, but not limited to, partners,
associates, and contractors) when the information pertains to the
individuals whom the appointed representative is representing; and to
representative payees, when the information pertains to individuals for
whom they serve as representative payees, for the purpose of assisting
us in administering representative payment responsibilities under the
Social Security Act, to the extent necessary to pursue Social Security
claims, and for the purpose of assisting them in performing their
duties as payees, including receiving and accounting for benefits for
individuals for whom they serve as payees.
19. In response to legal process or interrogatories relating to the
enforcement of an individual's child support or alimony obligations, as
required by sections 459 and 460 of the Social Security Act.
20. To Federal, State, or local agencies (or agents on their
behalf) for administering income or health maintenance programs,
including programs under the Social Security Act. Such disclosures
include the release of information to the following agencies, but are
not limited to:
(a) Railroad Retirement Board, for administering provisions of the
Railroad Retirement and Social Security Acts relating to railroad
employment, and for administering the Railroad Unemployment Insurance
Act;
(b) VA, for administering 38 U.S.C. 1312, and upon request, for
determining eligibility for, or amount of, veterans' benefits or
verifying other information with respect thereto pursuant to 38 U.S.C.
5106;
(c) Department of Labor, for administering provisions of Title IV
of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act, as amended by the Black
Lung Benefits Act;
(d) State agencies for administering the Medicaid program;
(e) State agencies for making determinations of food stamp
eligibility under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program;
(f) State audit agencies for auditing State supplementation
payments and Medicaid eligibility considerations; and expenditures of
Federal funds by the State in support of the Disability Determination
Services (DDS);
(g) State welfare departments pursuant to agreements with SSA, for
administration of State supplementation payments; for enrollment of
welfare beneficiaries for medical insurance under section 1843 of the
Social Security Act; and for conducting independent quality assurance
reviews of Supplemental Security Income recipient records, provided
that the agreement for Federal administration of the supplementation
provides for such an independent review; and
(h) State vocational rehabilitation agencies, State health
departments, or other agencies providing services to disabled children,
for consideration of rehabilitation services, per sections 222 and 1615
of the Social Security Act.
21. To the Social Security agency of a foreign country, to carry
out the purpose of an international Social Security agreement entered
into between the United States and the other country, pursuant to
section 233 of the Social Security Act.
22. To the Department of the Treasury, IRS, for the purpose of
auditing SSA's compliance with the safeguard provisions of the IRC of
1986, as amended.
23. To third party contacts (including private collection agencies
under contract with SSA), for the purpose of their assisting us in
recovering overpayments.
24. To the Department of Homeland Security, upon request, to
identify and locate aliens in the United States pursuant to section
290(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1360(b)).
25. To contractors, cooperative agreement awardees, and other
Federal agencies, as necessary, for the purpose of assisting SSA in the
efficient administration of its programs. We disclose information under
this routine use only in situations in which SSA establishes a
contractual or similar agreement with a third party to assist in
accomplishing an agency function relating to this system of records
with appropriate safeguards.
26. To the Department of Education, addresses of beneficiaries who
are obligated on loans held by the Secretary of Education or a loan
made in accordance with 20 U.S.C. 1071, et seq. (the Robert T. Stafford
Student Loan Program), as authorized by section 489A of the Higher
Education Act of 1965.
27. To student volunteers, individuals working under a personal
services contract, and other workers who technically do not have the
status of Federal employees, when they are performing work for SSA, as
authorized by law, and they need access to personally identifiable
information (PII)
[[Page 20251]]
in SSA records in order to perform their assigned agency functions.
28. To Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies and
private security contractors, as appropriate, information necessary:
(a) to enable them to protect the safety of SSA employees and
customers, the security of the SSA workplace, the operation of SSA
facilities, or
(b) to assist investigations or prosecutions with respect to
activities that affect such safety and security or activities that
disrupt the operations of SSA facilities.
29. To the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
under 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
30. To another Federal agency or Federal entity, when SSA
determines that information from this system of records is reasonably
necessary to assist the recipient agency or entity in:
(a) responding to a suspected or confirmed breach; or
(b) preventing, minimizing, or remedying the risk of harm to
individuals, the recipient agency or entity (including its information
systems, programs, and operations), the Federal Government, or national
security, resulting from a suspected or confirmed breach.
31. To appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when:
(a) SSA suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of
the system of records;
(b) SSA has determined that, as a result of the suspected or
confirmed breach, there is a risk of harm to individuals, SSA
(including its information systems, programs, and operations), the
Federal Government, or national security; and
(c) The disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and persons is
reasonably necessary to assist in connection with SSA's efforts to
respond to the suspected or confirmed breach or to prevent, minimize,
or remedy such harm.
32. To contractors, cooperative agreement awardees, State agencies,
Federal agencies, and Federal congressional support agencies for
research and statistical activities that are designed to increase
knowledge about present or alternative Social Security programs; are of
importance to the Social Security program or the Social Security
beneficiaries; or are for an epidemiological project that relates to
the Social Security program or beneficiaries. We will disclose
information under this routine use pursuant only to a written agreement
with us.
33. To third parties when an individual involved with a request
needs assistance to communicate because of a hearing impairment or a
language barrier (e.g., to interpreters, telecommunications relay
system operators).
34. Limited information to third parties as necessary to reach
claimants, beneficiaries, and others SSA has a business need to reach
related to records in this system.
35. To the U.S. Department of the Treasury, when disclosure of the
information is relevant to review SSA's payment and award eligibility
through the Do Not Pay Working System for the purposes of identifying,
preventing, or recouping improper payments to an applicant for, or
recipient of, Federal funds, including funds disbursed by a state
(meaning a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, a
territory or possession of the United States, or a federally recognized
Indian tribe) in a state-administered, federally funded program. This
routine use will be applied when disclosure meets the requirements in
20 CFR 401.150(c).
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
We will maintain records in this system in electronic and paper
form.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
We will retrieve claim file records by SSN, name, or BNC number. We
will retrieve medical examiner and medical provider records by name and
tax identification number, e.g., EIN or SSN.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
In accordance with NARA rules codified at 36 CFR 1225.16, we
maintain records in accordance with approved agency-specific records
schedule N1-047-05-001 and approved NARA General Records Schedule 5.2,
items 010 and 020.
ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
We retain electronic and paper files containing personal
identifiers in secure storage areas accessible only by authorized
individuals, including our employees and contractors, who have a need
for the information when performing their official duties. Security
measures include, but are not limited to, the use of codes and
profiles, personal identification number and password, and personal
identification verification cards. We restrict access to specific
correspondence within the system based on assigned roles and authorized
users. We use audit mechanisms to record sensitive transactions as an
additional measure to protect information from unauthorized disclosure
or modification.
We annually provide authorized individuals, including our employees
and contractors, with appropriate security awareness training that
includes reminders about the need to protect PII and the criminal
penalties that apply to unauthorized access to, or disclosure of PII (5
U.S.C. 552a(i)(1)). Furthermore, authorized individuals with access to
databases maintaining PII must annually sign a sanction document that
acknowledges their accountability for inappropriately accessing or
disclosing such information.
RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
Individuals may submit requests for information about whether this
system contains a record about them by submitting a written request to
the system manager at the above address, which includes their name,
SSN, or other information that may be in this system of records that
will identify them. Individuals requesting notification of, or access
to, a record by mail must include: (1) a notarized statement to us to
verify their identity; or (2) must certify in the request that they are
the individual they claim to be and that they understand that the
knowing and willful request for, or acquisition of, a record pertaining
to another individual under false pretenses is a criminal offense.
Individuals requesting notification of, or access to, records in
person must provide their name, SSN, or other information that may be
in this system of records that will identify them, as well as provide
an identity document, preferably with a photograph, such as a driver's
license. Individuals lacking identification documents sufficient to
establish their identity must certify in writing that they are the
individual they claim to be and that they understand that the knowing
and willful request for, or acquisition of, a record pertaining to
another individual under false pretenses is a criminal offense.
These procedures are in accordance with our regulations at 20 CFR
401.40, 401.45, and 401.55.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
Same as record access procedures. Individuals should also
reasonably identify the record, specify the information they are
contesting, and state the corrective action sought and the reasons for
the correction with supporting justification showing how the record is
incomplete, untimely, inaccurate, or irrelevant. These
[[Page 20252]]
procedures are in accordance with our regulations at 20 CFR 401.65(a).
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
Same as record access procedures. These procedures are in
accordance with our regulations at 20 CFR 401.40, 401.45, and 401.55.
EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
None.
HISTORY:
85 FR 34477 (June 4, 2020), Electronic Disability Claim File.
89 FR 14554 (February 27, 2024), Electronic Disability Claim File.
[FR Doc. 2026-07300 Filed 4-14-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P
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This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.