Notice of Meeting of the Representative Payment Advisory Committee

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Notice of Meeting of the Representative Payment Advisory

Committee

Date and Time: February 15, 1996, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; February 16, 1996,

9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Place: Environmental Protection Agency Classrooms, 75 Hawthorne

Street, First Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105.

Type of Meeting: The meeting is open to the public.

Purpose: In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal

Advisory Committee Act, the Social Security Administration (SSA)

announces the fourth meeting of the Representative Payment Advisory

Committee. The Committee will discuss issues related to payee

selection, payee recruitment and retention, standards for payee

performance and payee oversight. The Committee will focus its

discussion on use/misuse of benefits and accountability. The Committee

is also interested in the value of automated accounting systems to

track expenditures on behalf of beneficiaries as well as funds

conserved for future use.

Current guidelines on the use of benefits clearly distinguish

acceptable uses of benefits from misuse. However, SSA is interested in

learning if additional guidance on choosing the most appropriate among

several acceptable uses of benefits is necessary or appropriate.

Increasingly, SSA is being asked to resolve disputes concerning use of

benefits, especially in balancing current maintenance costs and needs

against possible future needs.

Payee accountability also is an area in which SSA would be helped

by external views. For some years, SSA has required an annual

accounting by all payees except certain State custodial institutions

which are subject to an onsite review process. The form used for this

accounting elicits information from the payee about how benefits were

used during the 12-month report period (including any savings or

investments); whether any changes occurred in the beneficiary's living

arrangement or custody which could affect entitlement or benefit

amount; and other information related to the payee's continued

suitability. The process is expensive, currently costing about $60

million yearly and has been criticized as cumbersome for the agency and

payees alike.

The representative payment program is so critical to the well being

of SSA's most vulnerable beneficiaries that its continuous improvement

is of compelling national interest. One in six

[[Page 66574]]

Americans receives benefits from SSA, and about one in eight of those

has a representative payee. Among supplemental security income

beneficiaries, one in three has payee. The appropriate use and

management of benefits is important in helping beneficiaries,

especially younger disabled persons, to gain or regain their

independence and productivity, and it is essential to ensure that all

beneficiaries live with the security and dignity that the benefits are

meant to provide.

Agenda: The Committee will meet commencing at 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on

Thursday, February 15, 1996 with a break for dinner, and from 9 a.m. to

5 p.m. on Friday, February 16, 1996. Agenda items for both days will

include, but not be limited to, a discussion concerning payees' use of

benefits, standards for payee performance and payee oversight. Oral

statements on these issues or any issue concerning representative

payment policy are sought from the public for presentation on February

16. Presentations will be limited to 5 minutes per public speaker.

Persons interested in presenting oral statements may call the

Advisory Committee staff at (410) 966-4688 to schedule a presentation

time or they may submit a written request, along with a copy of their

statement, to the Representative Payment Advisory Committee, 2-N-24

Operations Building, P.O. Box 17763, Baltimore, MD 21203-7763. Requests

should contain the name, address, telephone number and any business or

professional affiliation of the person desiring to make an oral

statement. Groups having similar interests are requested to combine

their comments and present them through a single representative. The

allocation of time may be adjusted to accommodate the level of

expressed interest. The Representative Payment Advisory Committee will

notify each presenter by mail or telephone of their assigned

presentation time. Persons who do not make a written or oral request

for presentation in advance, but desire to make an oral statement, may

sign up at the meeting site before noon on February 16. These persons

will be allowed to present their oral statements as time permits. The

Committee also welcomes written comments. They may be sent to the

Representative Payment Advisory Committee at 2-N-24 Operations

Building, P.O. Box 17763, Baltimore, MD 21203-7763.

Records are being kept of all Committee proceedings, and are

available for public inspection at the office of the Representative

Payment Advisory Committee, Room 2-N-24, Operations Building, 6401

Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235 between the hours of 9 a.m. and

4 p.m. on regular business days. Anyone requiring information regarding

the Committee should contact the Representative Payment Advisory

Committee at P.O. Box 17763, Baltimore, MD 21203-7763; Telephone: (410)

966-4688; FAX: (410) 966-0980; Internet: [email protected].

Dated: December 14, 1995.

Reba Andrew,

Staff Director, Representative Payment Advisory Committee.

[FR Doc. 95-31161 Filed 12-21-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4190-29-P