System of Records (SOR)

97VA105 - Consolidated Data Information System-VA

System location:
Records will be maintained at the following computer site locations: VA Management Science Group, 200 Springs Road, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730; and VA Information Resource Center, 5th Avenue & Roosevelt Road, Hines, Illinois 60141. Copies or parts of these records may be maintained at the following computer site locations: VA Automation Center, 1615 Woodward Street, Austin, Texas 78722; and VA Allocation Resource Center, 100 Grandview Road, Braintree, Massachusetts 02184.

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
The records include information concerning active duty military personnel, veterans, their spouses and their dependents, and individuals who are not VA beneficiaries, but who receive health care services from VHA.

Categories of records in the system:
The categories of records in the system will include veterans' names, addresses, dates of birth, VA claim numbers, SSNs, and military service information; medical benefit application and eligibility information; code sheets and follow-up notes; sociological, diagnostic, counseling, rehabilitation, drug and alcohol, dietetic, medical, surgical, dental, psychological, and/or psychiatric medical information; prosthetic, pharmacy, nuclear medicine, social work, clinical laboratory and radiology information; patient scheduling information; family information such as next of kin, spouse and dependents; names, addresses, social security numbers and dates of birth; family medical history, employment information; financial information; third-party health plan information; information related to ionizing radiation and Agent Orange; date of death; VA claim and insurance file numbers; travel benefits information; military decorations; disability or pension payment information; information on indebtedness arising from 38 U.S.C. benefits; medical and dental treatment in the Armed Forces and claim information; applications for compensation, pension, education and rehabilitation benefits; information related to incarceration in a penal institution; medication profile such as name, quantity, prescriber, dosage, manufacturer, lot number, cost and administration instruction; pharmacy dispensing information such as pharmacy name and address.

The records will include information on DoD military personnel from two categories of DoD files: (1) Utilization files that contain inpatient and outpatient records, and (2) eligibility files from the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) containing data on all military personnel including those discharged from the Armed Services since 1972.

The records will include information on Medicare beneficiaries from HCFA databases: Denominator file (identifies the population being studied); Standard Analytical files (inpatient, outpatient, physician supplier, nursing home, hospice, home care, durable medical equipment); and Group Health Plan.

The records include information on Medicaid beneficiaries' utilization and enrollment from state databases.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
Section 527 of 38 U.S.C. and the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, Pub. L. 103-62.

Purpose(s):
The purpose of this system of records is to conduct statistical studies and analyses which will support the formulation of Departmental policies and plans by identifying the total current health care usage of the VA patient population.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:

Information from this system of records may be disclosed in accordance with the following routine uses:

1. Disclosure of identifying information, such as names, SSNs, demographic and utilization data, may be made to Federal, State, local, or tribal agencies such as the DoD, HCFA, and Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), as part of statistical matching programs for the purpose of better identifying the total current health care usage of the patient population served by VA in order to forecast future demand for VA medical care by VA medical facilities.
2. Disclosure may be made to Federal, State, local, and tribal government agencies and national health organizations in order to assist in the development of programs that will be beneficial to claimants and assure that they are receiving all benefits to which they are entitled.
3. Disclosure may be made of information relevant to or indicating a violation or potential violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature, and whether arising by general statute or particular program statute, or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, to Federal, State, local, or tribal agencies charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, or rule, regulation or order listed pursuant thereto.
4. Disclosure may be made, excluding name and address (unless name and address are furnished by the requestor) for research purposes determined to be necessary and proper, to epidemiological and other research facilities approved by the Under Secretary for Health.
5. In order to conduct Federal research necessary to accomplish a statutory purpose of an agency, at the written request of the recipient agency, the name (s) and address (s) of present or former personnel of the Armed Services and/or their dependents may be disclosed (a) To a Federal department or agency or (b) directly to a contractor of a Federal department or agency. When disclosure of this information is to be made directly to the contractor, VA may impose applicable conditions on the department, agency and/or contractor to insure the appropriateness of the disclosure to the contractor.
6. Disclosure may be made to National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), General Services Administration (GSA) in records management inspections conducted under authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
7. Records from this system of records may be disclosed to the Department of Justice or in a proceeding before a court, adjudicative body, or other administrative body before which the Agency is authorized to appear when: The Agency, or any component thereof; or any employee of the Agency in his or her official capacity; where the Department of Justice or the Agency has agreed to represent the employee; or the U.S. when the Agency determines that litigation is likely to affect the Agency or any of its components, is a party to litigation, and has an interest in such litigation, and the use of such records by the Department of Justice or the Agency is deemed by the Agency to be relevant and necessary to the litigation provided, however, that the disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the records were collected.
8. Disclosure may be made to individuals, organizations, private or public agencies, etc., with whom VA has a contract or agreement to perform such services as VA may deem practicable for the purposes of laws administered by VA, in order for the contractor or subcontractor to perform the services of the contract or agreement.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system:

Storage:
Data are maintained on magnetic tape, disk, or laser optical media.

Retrievability:
Records may be retrieved by name, name and one or more criteria (e.g., dates of birth, death and service), SSN or VA claim number.

Safeguards:

1. Access to and use of these records is limited to those persons whose official duties require such access. Personnel screening is employed to prevent unauthorized disclosure.
2. Access to Automated Data Processing files is controlled at two levels: (1) Terminals, central processing units, and peripheral devices are generally placed in secure areas (areas that are locked or have limited access) or are otherwise protected; and (2) the system recognizes authorized users by means of an individually unique password entered in combination with an individually unique user identification code.
3. Access to automated records concerning identification codes and codes used to access various VA automated communications systems and records systems, as well as security profiles and possible security violations is limited to designated automated systems security personnel who need to know the information in order to maintain and monitor the security of VA's automated communications and veterans' claim records systems. Access to these records in automated form is controlled by individually unique passwords/codes. Agency personnel may have access to the information on a need to know basis when necessary to advise agency security personnel or for use to suspend or revoke access privileges or to make disclosures authorized by a routine use.
4. Access to VA facilities where identification codes, passwords, security profiles and possible security violations are maintained is controlled at all hours by the Federal Protective Service, VA or other security personnel and security access control devices.

Retention and disposal:
Copies of back-up computer files will be maintained at VA Management Science Group, Bedford, Massachusetts, and VA Information Resource Center, Hines, Illinois.

Records will be maintained and disposed of in accordance with the records disposal authority approved by the Archivist of the United States, the National Archives and Records Administration, and published in Agency Records Control Schedules.

System manager(s) and address:
Director, Management Science Group, VA Medical Center, 200 Springs Road, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730.

Notification procedure:
Individuals wishing to inquire whether this system of records contains information about them should submit a signed written request to the Director, Management Science Group, VA Medical Center, 200 Springs Road, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730.

Record access procedures:
An individual who seeks access to records maintained under his or her name or other personal identifier may write the System Manager named above and specify the information being contested.

Contesting record procedures:
(See Records Access Procedures above.)

Record source categories:
Information may be obtained from the Patient Medical Records System (24VA136); Patient Fee Basis Medical and Pharmacy Records (23VA136); Veterans and Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location Subsystem (38VA23); Compensation, Pension, Education and Rehabilitation Records (58VA21/22); and Automated Medication Processing Records (56VA119); DoD utilization files and DEERS files; and HCFA Denominator file, Standard Analytical files (inpatient, outpatient, physician supplier, nursing home, hospice, home care, durable medical equipment) and Group Health Plan, and State Medicaid beneficiaries' utilization and enrollment databases.

Back to Index

[back to top]