[Federal Register: March 22, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 54)]
[Notices]
[Page 14490-14491]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22mr05-85]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Notice Announcing Implementation of Sections 302 and 303 of the
Social Security Protection Act of 2004
AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce that the Social
Security Administration (SSA) has implemented sections 302 and 303 of
the Social Security Protection Act of 2004 (SSPA). Section 302 of the
SSPA extends the current attorney fee withholding and payment process
under title II of the Social Security Act (the Act) to claims for
benefits under title XVI of the Act. Section 303 of the SSPA requires
the Commissioner of Social Security (the Commissioner) to develop and
implement a five-year nationwide demonstration project that extends to
certain non-attorney representatives of claimants under titles II and
XVI of the Act the option to have approved representatives' fees
withheld and paid directly from a beneficiary's past-due benefits.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Zambonato, Social Security
Administration, Office of Income Security Programs, 2709 Rolling Road,
Baltimore, MD 21244, (410) 965-5419.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 303(d) of the SSPA, the
Commissioner notified Congress on February 28, 2005, of our completion
of the actions necessary to fully implement the requirements for full
operation of the demonstration project on fee withholding for non-
attorneys. Accordingly, the five-year period of the demonstration
project under section 303 began on February 28, 2005. As provided in
section 302(c) of the SSPA, the extension of the current representative
fee withholding and payment process under title II of the Act to claims
for benefits under title XVI of the Act also became effective for
favorably decided cases effectuated on or after February 28, 2005.
Additional information on the implementation of section 302 can be
found in operating instructions that we have issued on fee withholding
and direct payment of fees under title XVI in the Program Operations
Manual System (POMS), Subchapters GN 03920, GN 03930, and GN 03940.
These instructions may be accessed from our Web site at http://www.socialsecurity.gov
, using the link to Our Program Rules. You can
also access these instructions directly at http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/
subchapterlist!openview& restricttocategory=02039.
In accordance with the provisions of section 303, we will determine
the eligibility of applicants to participate in the demonstration
project on fee withholding for non-attorneys through a process by which
we will determine if applicants satisfy the prerequisites to
participate in that project. We provided information on the
prerequisites process in a Federal Register notice published on January
13, 2005 (70 FR 2447). Additional information on the demonstration
project and the prerequisites process is available on our Representing
Claimants Web site at http://www.ba.ssa.gov/representation/.
[[Page 14491]]
As we explained in our Federal Register notice of January 13, 2005,
we are using a private contractor to assist us in administering the
process for determining eligibility to participate in the demonstration
project. The contractor is CPS Human Resource Services (CPS). CPS has
established an informational Web site at http://www.cps.ca.gov/ tlc/
ssa/about.asp that provides general information on eligibility
requirements, the application process, and deadlines. CPS has also
established a site for taking applications at http://www.cps.ca.gov/
tlc/ssa/signin.asp. CPS can be reached by:
Mail, sent to: CPS Human Resource Services, SSA Non-
Attorney Representative Demonstration Project, 241 Lathrop Way, Suite
A, Sacramento, CA 95815-4242.
E-mail, sent to SSA@cps.ca.gov.
Telephone, toll free at 1-800-376-5728. The local number
in Sacramento is 916-263-3600.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 96.001, Social
Security-Disability Insurance; 96.002, Social Security-Retirement
Insurance; 96.004, Social Security-Survivors Insurance; and 96.006,
Supplemental Security Income)
Fritz Streckewald,
Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Program Policy, for Disability and
Income Security Programs.
[FR Doc. 05-5581 Filed 3-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P