^®: CRE Regulatory Action of the Week

Social Security Administration (SSA) Successfully Fulfills Requirements for Computer Matching Program

On March 28, 2000 the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced in the Federal Register a computer matching program that it plans to conduct. This computer matching program will involve the disclosure by State Health/Income Maintenance Agencies to the SSA of records of Medicaid enrollees that have been inactive for at least one year. In order to become eligible to participate in this computer matching program, the SSA had to successfully complete the requirements of federal agencies involved in computer matching programs--which it did with flying colors. For this the SSA should be recognized and commended.

Specifically, by complying to the Privacy Act, which, 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, the SSA has:

Negotiated written agreements with the other agency or agencies participating in the matching programs,
i.e. State Health/Income Maintenance Agencies;
Obtained the Approval of the match agreements by the Data Integrity Boards of the participating Federal Agency;
Furnished detailed reports about matching programs to Congress and OMB;
Notified applicants and beneficiaries that their records are subject to matching; and
Verified match findings before reducing, suspending, terminating or denying an individual's benefits or payments.

CRE invites all interested parties to submit comments on these issues to CRE's Interactive Public Docket.

Please click below to submit comments to the CRE regarding the SSA's Computer Matching Program.
SSA's Computer Matching Program: Interactive Public Docket

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