Effective Date: August 1, 2000 
(65 F.R. 46997)
 

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION NOTICE OF SYSTEM OF RECORDS REQUIRED BY THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974

System number: 60-0057

System name: 

Quality Evaluation Data Records, SSA/DCFAM/OQAPA

Security classification:  

None.

System location: 

Social Security Administration 
Office of Quality Assurance and Performance Assessment 
6401 Security Boulevard 
Baltimore, Maryland 21235

Categories of individuals covered by the system: 

Each individual who has filed an application for Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) benefits and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability payments. 

Categories of records in the system: 

Information in this system consists of the claimant's name and Social Security number (SSN); and demographic, diagnostic, and other types of data generated as a result of a review of the State actions on the claim.

Authority for maintenance of the system: 

Section 221 of the Social Security Act (the Act).

Purpose(s): 

This system is used for the purpose of assisting in the assessment of the quality of disability determinations made by State Disability Determination Services (DDS's).  Records are used to report monthly results of the review of the State disability determination process.

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

Disclosure may be made for routine uses as indicated below.  However, disclosure of any information constituting “returns or return information” within the scope of the Internal Revenue Code will not be disclosed unless disclosure is authorized by that statute.

1. To a congressional office in response to an inquiry from the office made at the request of the subject of a record.

2. Information may be disclosed to contractors and other Federal agencies, as necessary, for the purpose of assisting SSA in the efficient administration of its programs.  We contemplate disclosing information under this routine use only in situations in which SSA may enter into a contractual or similar agreement with a third party to assist in accomplishing an agency function relating to this system of records.

3. Non-tax return information which is not restricted from disclosure by Federal law may be disclosed to the General Services Administration (GSA) and the National Archive and Records Administration (NARA) for the purpose of conducting records management studies with respect to their duties and responsibilities under 44 U.S.C.    § 2904 and § 2906, as amended by NARA Act of 1984.

4. To the Department of Justice (DOJ), a court or other tribunal, or another party before such tribunal when:

                        (a) SSA, or any component thereof; or

                        (b) any SSA employee in his/her official capacity; or

(c) any SSA employee in his/her 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 that the litigation is likely to affect the operations of SSA or any of its components,

            is a party to litigation or has an interest in such litigation, and SSA determines that the use of such records by DOJ, the court or other tribunal is relevant and necessary to the litigation, provided, however, that in each case, SSA determines that such disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the records were collected.

            Wage and other information which are subject to the disclosure provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) (26 U.S.C. § 6103) will not be disclosed under this routine use unless disclosure is expressly permitted by the IRC.

5. To student volunteers 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 in SSA records in order to perform their assigned Agency functions. 

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

Storage: 

Records are maintained in paper form and in magnetic media (e.g., magnetic tape and disc).

Retrievability: 

The records are retrieved by the SSN.

Safeguards: 

Paper records are kept in secured physical areas.  Safeguards for automated records have been established in accordance with the Systems Security Handbook.  This includes maintaining automated records in an enclosure attended by security guards. 

Data is transmitted from Social Security regional offices and headquarters components to SSA in-house computer facilities, over leased lines.  Internal computer security is safeguarded by account numbers, access codes, passwords and edit checks.  These assure that only authorized access to the computer system is permitted, that the particular data requested from the system can be released to the requester, and that control is maintained over the locations to which systems data may be sent.  (See Appendix H to this publication for additional information relating to safeguards SSA employs to protect personal records.)

Retention and disposal: 

Paper records are maintained for a period of up to 24 months.  Electronical data base records are maintained indefinately until archive or purge actions are initiated.  Paper records are disposed of by shredding; tape and disc records are destroyed magnetically.

System manager(s) and address:

Director 
Office of Disability Program Quality 
Office of Quality Assurance and Performance Assessment 
Social Security Administration 
6401 Security Boulevard 
Baltimore, Maryland 21235

Notification procedure: 

An individual can determine if this system contains a record about him/her by writing to the systems manager(s) at the above address and providing his/her name, SSN or other information that may be in the system of records that will identify him/her.  An individual requesting notification of records in person should provide the same information, as well as provide an identity document, preferably with a photograph, such as a driver’s license or some other means of identification, such as a voter registration card, credit card, etc.  If an individual does not have any identification documents sufficient to establish his/her identity, the individual must certify in writing that he/she is the person claimed to be and that he/she understands that the knowing and willful request for, or acquisition of, a record pertaining to another individual under false pretenses is a criminal offense.

If notification is requested by telephone, an individual must verify his/her identity by providing identifying information that parallels the record to which notification is being requested.  If it is determined that the identifying information provided by telephone is insufficient, the individual will be required to submit a request in writing or in person.  If an individual is requesting information by telephone on behalf of another individual, the subject individual must be connected with SSA and the requesting individual in the same phone call.  SSA will establish the subject individual’s identity (his/her name, SSN, address, date of birth and place of birth along with one other piece of information such as mother’s maiden name) and ask for his/her consent in providing information to the requesting individual.

If a request for notification is submitted by mail, an individual must include a notarized statement to SSA to verify his/her identity or must certify in the request that he/she is the person claimed to be and that he/she understands 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 SSA Regulations (20 CFR § 401.40).

An individual who requests access to his or her medical records shall be given direct access to those records unless SSA determines that it is likely that direct access would adversely affect the individual.  If SSA determines that direct access to the medical record(s) would like adversely affect the individual, he or she must designate a responsible representative who is capable of explaining the contents of the medical record(s) to him or her and who would be willing to provide the entire record(s) to the individual.  These procedures are in accordance with SSA Regulations (20 CFR 401.55).

A parent or guardian who requests notification of or access to a minors medical record(s) shall at the time he or she makes the request designate a physician or other health professional (other than a family member) who is capable of explaining the contents of the medical record(s) to him or her and who would be willing to provide the entire record(s) to the individual.  These procedures are in accordance with SSA Regulations (20 CFR 401.55).

Record access procedures: 

Same as notification procedures. Also, requesters should reasonably specify the record contents they are accessing. 

Contesting record procedures: 

Same as notification procedures.  Also, requesters 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 procedures are in accordance with SSA Regulations (20 CFR 401.65(a)).

Record source categories: 

Records are prepared electronically using interactive data entry screens and show decision, diagnosis and other information.

Systems exempted from certain provisions of the Privacy Act: 

       None.