Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988; Notice of RRB Records Used in Computer Matching Programs

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988; Notice of

RRB Records Used in Computer Matching Programs

AGENCY: Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).

ACTION: Notice of records used in computer matching programs

notification to individuals who are receiving or have received benefits

under the Railroad Retirement Act.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection

Act of 1988, the RRB is issuing a public notice of its use and intent

to use, in ongoing computer matching programs, certain information

obtained from the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA).

The purpose of this notice is to advise individuals applying for or

receiving benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act of the use made by

the RRB of this information obtained from HCFA by means of a computer

match.

DATES: Comments should be received by no later than August 12, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Beatrice Ezerski, Secretary to the Board,

Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois

60611-2092.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Denise LeSeur-Waechter, Office of Programs, Railroad Retirement Board,

844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092, telephone number

(312) 751-3337.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under certain circumstances, the Computer

Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, Pub. L. 100-503, requires

a Federal agency participating in a computer matching program to

publish a notice in the Federal Register regarding the establishment of

that matching program. Such a notice must include information in the

following first five categories:

Name of Participating Agencies: The Railroad Retirement Board and

the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA).

Purpose of the Match: To identify RRB annuitants who are age 66 or

over and who have not had any Medicare utilization during the past

calender year. The general purposes of the match are (1) to verify that

these RRB annuitants are still alive and if alive, to determine whether

the RRB should appoint a representative payee for them; (2) to identify

instances when payments are being made to persons who because they are

deceased are no longer entitled to receive them; (3) to recover any

payments erroneously made; and (4) to identify instances of fraud, and

where established and warranted, to initiate prosecution.

Authority for Conducting the Match: 45 U.S.C. Section 231f(b)(7).

This section requires that the Secretary of Health and Human Services

provide information pertinent to the administration of the Railroad

Retirement Act. The death of an annuitant under that Act is a

terminating event.

Categories of Records and Individuals Covered: All annuitants under

the Railroad Retirement Act who are age 66 or over and who have had no

Medicare utilization during the previous calendar year. The RRB records

used in this matching program are covered under Privacy Act system of

records, RRB-22, Railroad Retirement, Survivor, and Pensioner Benefit

System. The HCFA records used in this matching program are covered

under Privacy Act system of records HHS/HCFA/BPO 09-70-0526, Common

Working File.

Inclusive Dates of the Matching Program: The life of this agreement

is 18 months; the match will be conducted no more than three times

during this period.

Procedure: HCFA will furnish the RRB with a computer tape of

annuitants under the Railroad Retirement Act who, according to HCFA

records, are age 66 or older and have had no Medicare utilization

during the previous calendar year. After excluding certain categories

of individuals for whom no follow-up action will be taken, the RRB will

contact the remaining identified individuals to determine whether they

are still alive and if so to determine whether the RRB needs to appoint

a representative payee to ensure that the benefits to which they are

entitled are properly expended on their behalf. If the RRB establishes

that an individual so identified in the match is deceased it will

terminate the annuity, and if there are any benefits that were

improperly paid, it will take action to recover them. In addition, if

there is any indication of fraud, the RRB will evaluate whether

prosecution should be initiated against the person or persons who acted

fraudulently. No action will be taken with respect to the individuals

excluded from the monitoring program.

The public information collection represented by the follow-up

action for the individuals identified by the matching program was

previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB 3220-

0178). A request for re-approval is pending.

Other information: The notice we are giving here is in addition to

any individual notice.

A copy of this notice has been or will be furnished to both Houses

of Congress and the Office of Management and Budget.

Dated: July 5, 1996.

By authority of the Board.

Beatrice Ezerski,

Secretary to the Board.

[FR Doc. 96-17727 Filed 7-11-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M