[Federal Register: April 15, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 72)]
[Notices]               
[Page 18484-18485]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15ap98-160]

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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

 
Privacy Act of 1974, As Amended; Computer Matching Program (SSA/
Department of Labor (DOL)--Match Number 1003)

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of Computer Matching Program.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as 
amended, this notice announces a computer matching program that SSA 
plans to conduct with DOL.

DATES: SSA will file a report of the subject matching program with the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on 
Government Reform and Oversight of the House of Representatives and the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). The matching program will be effective as indicated 
below.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by either 
telefax to (410) 966-1722 or writing to the Associate Commissioner for 
Program Support, 4400 West High Rise Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, MD 21235. All comments received will be available for public 
inspection at this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Associate Commissioner for Program 
Support at the address shown above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. General

    The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Public 
Law (Pub. L.) 100-503), amended the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) by 
establishing the conditions under which computer matching involving the 
Federal government could be performed and adding certain protections 
for individuals applying for and receiving Federal benefits. Section 
7201 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-508) 
further amended the Privacy Act regarding protections for such 
individuals.
    The Privacy Act, as amended, regulates the use of computer matching 
by Federal agencies when records in a system of records are matched 
with other Federal, State or local government records. Among other 
things, it requires Federal agencies involved in computer matching 
programs to:
    (1) Negotiate written agreements with the other agency or agencies 
participating in the matching programs;
    (2) Obtain the approval of the match agreement by the Data 
Integrity Boards (DIB) of the participating Federal Agencies;
    (3) Furnish detailed reports about matching programs to Congress 
and OMB;
    (4) Notify applicants and beneficiaries that their records are 
subject to matching; and
    (5) Verify match findings before reducing, suspending, terminating 
or denying an individual's benefits or payments.

B. SSA Computer Matches Subject to the Privacy Act

    We have taken action to ensure that all of SSA's computer matching 
programs comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act, as amended.

    Dated: March 31, 1998.
Kenneth S. Apfel,
Commissioner of Social Security.

Notice of Computer Matching Program, Social Security Administration 
(SSA) with the Department of Labor (DOL)

A. Participating Agencies

    SSA and DOL.

B. Purpose of the Matching Program

    The purpose of this matching program is to establish the 
conditions, safeguards

[[Page 18485]]

and procedures under which DOL agrees to disclose Part C Black Lung 
benefit data to SSA. SSA will use the match results to determine the 
correct amount of Social Security disability benefits for recipients of 
Part C Black Lung benefits, as required by the Social Security Act (the 
Act).

C. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    Section 224(h)(1) of the Act.

D. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match

    DOL will provide SSA with a magnetic tape file extracted from the 
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Black Lung Benefits Payments 
File. The extracted file will contain information about all live 
miners, under age 65, entitled to Part C Black Lung benefits. Each 
record on the DOL file will be matched with SSA's Master Beneficiary 
Record to identify individuals potentially subject to benefit 
reductions, due to their receipt of Part C Black Lung benefits, under 
section 224 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 424.

E. Inclusive Dates of the Match

    The matching program shall become effective upon the signing of the 
agreement by both parties to the agreement and approval of the 
agreement by the Data Integrity Boards of the respective agencies, but 
no sooner than 40 days after notice of the matching program is sent to 
Congress and the Office of Management and Budget, or 30 days after 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register, whichever is later. 
The matching program will continue for 18 months from the effective 
date and may be extended for an additional 12 months thereafter, if 
certain conditions are met.

[FR Doc. 98-9956 Filed 4-14-98; 8:45 am]
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