Privacy Act of 1974; Altered System of Records

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Privacy Act of 1974; Altered System of Records

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of altered system of records.

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SUMMARY: The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 522a(e)(4)) requires that

all agencies publish in the Federal Register a notice of the existence

and character of their systems of records. Notice is hereby given that

the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is altering a system of records

entitled ``Accounts Receivable Records--VA'' (88VA20A6).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments,

suggestions or objections regarding the proposed changes to the system

of records. All relevant materials received before December 26, 1996,

will be considered. All written comments received will be available for

public inspection at the Office of Regulations Management, room 1158,

810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, only, between 8:00 a.m.

and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (except holidays). If no public

comment is received during the 30-day review period allowed for public

comment, or unless otherwise published in the Federal Register by VA,

the altered system of records is effective December 26, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the altered system of records

may be mailed to the Director, Office of Regulations Management (02D),

810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Daniel D. Osendorf, Director, Debt Management Center (389/00), U.S.

Department of Veterans Affairs, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building,

1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 55111, (612) 725-1844.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 3, 1994, The Department

published original notice of this system of records at 59 FR 55155.

That notice incorporated a recitation of the history

[[Page 60149]]

of debt collection within the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).

The new system was established,

* * * to reflect the centralized environment VBA continues to build

for collection activity as well as to provide the public with one

reference for routine use disclosures related to debt collection.

In furtherance of these goals, and to broaden their application to a

department-wide basis, collection responsibilities for additional types

of debts are being consolidated under the administration of VA's Debt

Management Center (DMC) in Ft. Snelling, Minnesota. These additional

debts include: (1) First-party medical billings (including delinquent

billings) resulting from treatment or prescriptions provided by or on

behalf of VA health care facilities; (2) debts arising from

participation in the VA Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA);

and (3) certain miscellaneous debts associated with VA home loan

programs. Miscellaneous home loan debts include (but are not limited

to) those incurred by virtue of veteran-borrowers' defaults on home

loans guaranteed under The Veterans Benefits Act of 1989 (Pub. L. 101-

237) and more commonly referred to as ``Guaranty and Indemnity Fund''

(GIF) loans.

Statutory citations to the Selected Reserve component of the All-

Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program (Also known as

Montgomery G.I. Bill--Selected Reserve) and been changed from ``chapter

106'' to ``chapter 1606''. This change is the result of renumbering of

title 10, U.S.C., as set forth in the Department of Defense

Authorization Act for FY 1995, Pub. L. 103-337.

The debt collection program adheres to VA security and Reporting

requirements under title 38, Code of Federal Regulations and other

Federal regulations, as well as the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5

U.S.C. 552a), and the appropriate provisions of the Internal Revenue

Code, title 26, United States Code.

Approved: November 15, 1996.

Jesse Brown,

Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Report of Intention To Publish an Altered System of Records for

``Accounts Receivable Records--VA'' (88VA20A6)

Purpose

This system of records has been amended to further consolidate

notice to the public of the types of information disclosed, and to whom

it is disclosed, in the course of collection of debts arising from

participation in benefit, health care and other programs administered

by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This amendment also serves

to revise citations related to the All-Volunteer Force Educational

Assistance Program. Previous publication of this system of records

consolidated notice for debts arising from most VA benefit programs

[see 55 FR 55155 (November 3, 1994)]. The revised system of records

adds notice of the types of disclosure, and to whom disclosure is made,

for the following types of indebtedness accounts: (1) First-party

medical billings (including delinquent billings) resulting from

treatment or prescriptions provided by or on behalf of VA health care

facilities; (2) debts arising from participation in the VA Civilian

Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA); and, (3) certain miscellaneous

debts associated with VA home loan programs. Miscellaneous home loan

debts include (but are not limited to) those incurred by virtue of

veteran-borrowers' default on home loans guaranteed under The Veterans

Benefits Act of 1989 (Pub. L. 101-237) and more commonly referred to as

``Guaranty and Indemnity Fund'' (GIF) loans. Changes in the revised

system of records are not individually bracketed.

Authority

Title 38, United States Code, sections 501(a), 5314 and 5315;

Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966 (Pub. L. 89-508), 31 U.S.C.

chapter 37, subchapter I (General) and subchapter II (Claims of the

United States Government), 31 U.S.C. 3711, Collection and Compromise,

31 U.S.C. 3716, Administrative Offset; Debt Collection Act of 1982

(Pub. L. 97-365), 5 U.S.C. 5514, Installment Deduction for

Indebtedness.

Probable Privacy Impact

Information concerning indebtedness accounts added to the system of

records under this revision is currently disclosed under ``Categories

of Records in the System'' set forth in the Privacy Act system of

records, 88VA20A6. Disclosure is limited to that which is relevant and

necessary to obtain the debtor's whereabouts or telephone number to

identify a source of collection, provide an incentive for payment and

to comply with certain requirements associated with the operation of

the Government. The routine uses set forth in the accompanying notice

of an altered system of records describe, generally, the data disclosed

to various third parties, all of whom are, in turn, obligated to

protect that data under statute, contract or both.

Risk Assessment

Access to working spaces and record storage areas associated with

VA debt collection is restricted to VA employees on a ``need-to-know''

basis. Access to computer rooms, magnetic media storage and documents

classified as sensitive is even further restricted to certain

designated employees. The repositories for debt collection records are

automated systems accessible only by a limited number of computer

terminals and only by employees with specific passwords and knowledge

of computer systems dedicated to debt collection. Most paper

documentation that must be kept at Debt Management Center is

microfilmed and forwarded to the regional office or medical center of

jurisdiction or the CHAMPVA Center for filing. The security measures

for those documents are set forth in the Privacy Act system of records,

88VA20A6.

Routine Uses

The routine uses of this system are compatible with the purposes

for which this information is collected. Disclosures under the routine

uses are limited to those necessary for the management of debt

collection operations, including answering inquiries from or on behalf

of debtors.

Compatibility Requirement

The routine uses of this system are compatible with the purpose for

which the information is collected and maintained.

New Rules or Changes to Published Rules

This system of records does not require any new regulations or

changes to published regulations.

Information Collection Requirements

Establishing this system of records does not require any new

information collection requirements.

88VA20A6

SYSTEM NAME:

Accounts Receivable Records-VA.

SYSTEM LOCATION:

Automated indebtedness records for first-party medical billing,

compensation, pension, educational assistance, survivors' and

dependents' educational assistance and most home loan debts are

maintained at the VA's Austin Automation/Systems Development Center in

Austin, Texas. Extracts of benefit and home loan debt automated records

are maintained in the

[[Page 60150]]

Benefits Delivery Network for accounting and adjudication purposes. The

Benefits Delivery Network is administered by the Benefit Delivery

Center (BDC), Hines, Illinois. First-party medical billing information

is extracted from records maintained at VA medical facilities and in

automated media as more fully described in the Privacy Act system of

records, 24VA136, ``Patient Medical Records--VA'' (56 FR 1054, Jan. 10,

1991). Automated and paper indebtedness records for the Civilian Health

and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) are

maintained at the CHAMPVA Center in Denver, Colorado and are more fully

described in the Privacy Act system of records, 54VA136, ``Veteran's

Spouse or Dependent Civilian Health and Medical Care Records--VA'' 40

FR 38095 (Aug. 26, 1975), as amended at 53 FR 23845 (Jun. 24, 1988), 53

FR 25238 (Jul. 5, 1988) and 56 FR 26186 (Jun. 6, 1991). Certain paper

records, microfilm and microfiche are maintained at the VA Debt

Management Center (DMC), Ft. Snelling, Minnesota. Education loan and

miscellaneous home loan automated, paper, microfilm and microfiche

records are maintained at DMC. Automated and paper indebtedness records

related to the All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program are

also maintained at DMC. Paper records related to benefit and home loan

accounts receivable may be maintained in individual file folders

located at the VA regional office having jurisdiction over the domicile

of the claimant or the geographic area in which a property securing a

VA guaranteed, insured or direct loan is located. Similarly, paper and

automated records related to first-party medical billing and CHAMPVA

are also maintained in individual patient medical records at VA health

care facilities and CHAMPVA Center. Generally and with the exception of

claims against third-party insurers and certain first-party medical

debts, automated records and papers maintained at regional offices,

health care facilities and CHAMPVA Center are not used directly in the

debt collection process unless they are forwarded by conventional mail,

electronic mail or facsimile to DMC. Records provided to the Department

of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for inclusion in the Credit

Alert Interactive Voice Response System (CAIVRS) are located at the HUD

Data Processing Center in Lanham, Maryland.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:

Persons indebted to the United States Government as a result of

their participation in benefit programs (including health care

programs) administered by VA under title 38, United States Code,

chapters 11, 13, 15, 17, 21, 30, 31, 34, 35, 36 and 37, including

persons indebted to the United States Government by virtue of their

ownership, contractual obligation or rental of property owned by the

Government or encumbered by a VA-guaranteed, insured, direct or vendee

loan. Persons indebted to the United States Government as a result of

their participation in a benefit program administered by VA under 10

U.S.C. or 10 U.S.C. ch. 1606. Persons who received benefits or services

under 38 U.S.C. or 10 U.S.C. ch. 1606, but who did not meet the

requirements for receipts of such benefits or services.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:

Information varies depending on the benefit type (including health

care and home loan) from which the debt arose. Identifying information,

including VA claim number, Social Security number, name and address

and, when appropriate, loan reference number obtained from the

following Privacy Act systems of records: ``Compensation, Pension,

Education and Rehabilitation Records--VA'' (58VA21/22); ``Loan Guaranty

Home, Condominium and Manufactured Home Loan Applicant Records,

Specially Adapted Housing Applicant Records, and Vendee Loan Applicant

Records--VA'' (55VA26); ``Patient Medical Records--VA'' (24VA136); and,

``Veteran's Spouse or Dependent Civilian Health and Medical Care

Records--VA'' (54VA136). Initial indebtedness amount, dates of

treatment, amounts claimed for reimbursement type of benefit from which

the debt arose, identifying number of the VA regional office with

jurisdiction over the underlying benefit claim or property subject to

default or foreclosure, station number of the VA health care facility

rendering services, name of co-obligor and property address of the

defaulted home loan from 58VA21/22, 55VA26, 24VA136 and 54VA136.

History of debt collection activity on the individual, including

correspondence, telephone calls, referrals to other Government

agencies, VA district counsel, private collection and credit reporting

agencies. Payments received, refunds made, interest amount, current

balance of debt and indication of status or current VA benefit

payments. Federal employment status obtained by computer matching with

Government agencies and the United States Postal Service. No personal

medical information concerning the nature of disease, injury or

disability is transmitted to or maintained in this system of records.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:

Title 38, United States Code, sections 501(a), 5314 and 5315.

Federal Claims Collection Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 89-508), 31 U.S.C.

Chapter 37, Subchapter I (General) and Subchapter II (Claims of the

United States Government), 31 U.S.C. 3711, Collection and Compromise,

31 U.S.C. 3716, Administrative Offset; Debt Collection Act of 1982

(Pub. L. 97-365), 5 U.S.C. 5514, Installment Deduction for

Indebtedness.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES

OF USERS AND THE PURPOSE OF SUCH USES:

For purposes of the following routine uses:

(a) The term ``veteran'', includes present, former or retired

members of the United States Armed Forces, the reserve forces or

national guard;

(b) The term, ``debtor'', means any person falling within the

categories of individuals covered by this system, as set forth above. A

``debtor'' may be a veteran, as defined above, a veteran's dependent

entitled to VA benefits (including health care) in his or her own right

or a person who is neither a veteran nor a veteran's dependent for

benefit purposes; and,

(c) The terms ``benefit'', ``benefit program'' and ``VA program''

include any gratuitous benefit, home loan (including miscellaneous home

loan) or health care (including CHAMPVA) program administered by the

Secretary.

1. The record of an individual who is covered by this system may be

disclosed to a member of Congress or staff person acting for the member

when the member or staff person requests the record on behalf of and at

the written request of that individual.

2. Any information in this system may be disclosed to a Federal

agency, upon its official request, to the extent that it is relevant

and necessary to that agency's decision regarding: The hiring,

retention or transfer of an employee; the issuance of a security

clearance; the letting of a contract or the issuance or continuance of

a license, grant or other benefit given by that agency. However, in

accordance with an agreement with the U.S. Postal Service, disclosures

to the U.S. Postal Service for decisions concerning the employment of

veterans will only be made with the veteran's prior written consent.

[[Page 60151]]

3. Any information in this system may be disclosed, by computer

matching or otherwise, in connection with any proceeding for the

collection of an amount owed the United States by virtue of a person's

participation in any benefit program administered by VA when in the

judgment of the Secretary, or official generally delegated such

authority under standard agency delegation of authority rules (38 CFR

2.6), such disclosure is deemed necessary and proper in accordance with

38 U.S.C. 5701(b)(6).

4. The name and address of a veteran or the dependent of a veteran

and other information as is reasonably necessary to identify such

veteran or dependent may be disclosed to a consumer reporting agency

for the purpose of locating the veteran or dependent indebted to the

United States under a VA benefit program or to obtain a consumer report

in order to assess the ability of a veteran or dependent to repay an

indebtedness, provided the disclosure is consistent with 38 U.S.C.

5701(g)(2).

5. The name and address of a veteran or dependent, other

information as is reasonably necessary to identify such persons,

including personal information obtained from other Federal agencies

through computer matching programs, and any information concerning the

person's indebtedness to the United States by virtue of the person's

participation in a VA benefit program may be disclosed to a consumer

reporting agency for purposes of making such information available for

inclusion in consumer reports regarding that person and for purposes of

locating that person, provided that the provisions of 38 U.S.C.

5701(g)(4) have been met.

6. Any information in this system, including available identifying

information regarding a person, such as the person's name, address,

Social Security number, VA insurance number, VA claim number, VA loan

number, date of birth and employment information, may be disclosed,

except to consumer reporting agencies, to a third party in order to

obtain current name, address and credit report in connection with any

proceeding for the collection of an amount owed the United States by

virtue of the person's participation in a VA benefit program. Such

disclosure may be made in the course of computer matching having the

purpose of obtaining the information indicated above. Third parties may

include other Federal agencies, State probate courts, State drivers'

license bureaus, State automobile title and license bureaus and private

commercial concerns in the business of providing the information

sought.

7. Identifying information, including the debtor's name, Social

Security number and VA claim number, along with the amount of

indebtedness, may be disclosed to any Federal agency, including the

U.S. Postal Service, in the course of conducting computer matching to

identify and locate delinquent debtors employed by or receiving

retirement benefits from those agencies. Such debtors may be subject to

offset of their pay or retirement benefits under the provisions of 5

U.S.C. 5514.

8. Any information in this system, including the nature and amount

of a financial obligation as well as the history of debt collection

activity against a debtor, may be disclosed to the Federal agency

administering salary or retirement benefits to the debtor to assist

that agency in initiating offset of salary or retirement benefits to

collect delinquent debts owed the United States under VA benefit

programs.

9. The name(s) and address(es) of a veteran or beneficiary may be

disclosed to another Federal agency or to a contractor of that agency,

at the written request of the head of that agency or designee of the

head of that agency for the purpose of conducting Government research

of oversight necessary to accomplish a statutory purpose of that

agency.

10. Any information in the system, including the amount of debt,

may be disclosed at the request of a debtor to accredited service

organizations, VA-approved claims agents and attorneys acting under a

declaration of representation so that these individuals can aid persons

indebted to VA in the preparation, presentation and prosecution of

debt-related matters under the laws administered by VA. The name and

address of a debtor will not, however, be disclosed to these

individuals under this routine use if the debtor has not requested the

assistance of an accredited service organization, claims agent or an

attorney.

11. Any information in this system such as the amount of

indebtedness and collection history may be disclosed in the course of

presenting evidence to a court, magistrate or administrative authority

in matters of guardianship, inquests and commitments, to private

attorneys representing debtors rated incompetent in conjunction with

issuance of Certificates of Incompetence and to probation and parole

officers in connection with court-required duties.

12. Any information in this system, including the amount of

indebtedness and history of collection activity, may be disclosed to a

VA or court-appointed fiduciary or a guardian ad litem in relation to

his or her representation of a debtor only to the extent necessary to

fulfill the duties of the fiduciary or guardian ad litem.

13. Any relevant information in this system may be disclosed to the

Department of Justice and United States Attorneys in the defense or

prosecution of litigation involving or pertaining to the United States.

Any relevant information in this system may also be disclosed to other

Federal agencies upon their request in connection with review of

administrative tort claims and potential tort claims filed under the

Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. 2672, the Military Claims Act, 10

U.S.C. 2733 and other similar claims statutes.

14. Any information concerning a person's indebtedness to the

United States by virtue of that person's participation in a benefit

program administered by VA, including personal information obtained

from other Federal agencies through computer matching programs, may be

disclosed to any third party, except consumer reporting agencies, in

connection with any proceeding for the collection of any amount owed to

the United States. Purposes of these disclosures may be to (a) assist

VA in collection of title 38 and 10 U.S.C. ch. 1606 program debts and/

or costs of services, and (b) initiate legal actions for prosecuting

individuals who willfully or fraudulently obtain title 38 or 10 U.S.C.

ch. 1606 benefits without entitlement.

15. The debtor's name, address, Social Security number and the

amount (excluding interest) of any indebtedness waived, compromised or

written off may be disclosed to the Treasury Department, Internal

Revenue Service, as a report of income under 26 U.S.C. 61(a)(12).

16. The name of a debtor, any other information reasonably

necessary to identify such individual and any other information

concerning the individual's indebtedness under a VA program, may be

disclosed to the Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, for the

collection of that indebtedness by offset of Federal income tax refunds

pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3720A.

17. Debtors' social security numbers, VA claim numbers, loan

account numbers and other information as is reasonably necessary to

identify individual VA indebtedness accounts may be disclosed to the

Department of Housing and Urban Development for inclusion in the Credit

Alert Interactive Voice Response System (CAIVRS). Information in CAIVRS

may be disclosed to all participating agencies and lenders who

participate in the

[[Page 60152]]

agencies' programs to enable them to verify information provided by new

loan applicants and evaluate the creditworthiness of applicants.

Records are disclosed to participating agencies and private-sector

lenders by an ongoing computer matching program.

18. Name, Social Security numbers and any other information

reasonably necessary to ensure accurate identification may be disclosed

to the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, to obtain

the mailing address of taxpayers who are debtors under this system of

records. Disclosure is made by computer matching and pursuant to 26

U.S.C. 6103(m)(2).

18. Any information in a record under this system of records may be

disclosed to the United States General Accounting Office (GAO) to

enabling GAO to pursue collection activities authorized to that office

or any other activities within their statutory authority.

DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES:

Disclosures pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(12) may be made from this

record system to consumer reporting agencies as defined in the Fair

Credit Reporting Act 15 U.S.C. 1681a(f) or the Federal Claims

Collection Act of 1966 31 U.S.C. 3701(a)(3). The disclosure is limited

to information necessary to establish the identity of the individual,

including name, address, and taxpayer identification number (Social

Security number), the amount, status and history of the claim; and the

agency or program under which the claim arose for the sole purpose of

allowing the consumer reporting agency to prepare a commercial credit

report. 38 U.S.C. 5701(g) governs the release of names and addresses of

any person who is a present or former member of the Armed Forces, or

who is a dependent of such a person, to consumer reporting agencies

under certain circumstances. Routine uses, above, provide for

disclosure under those circumstances.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING

AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:

STORAGE;

Records are maintained on magnetic tape and disk, microfilm,

microfiche, optical disk and paper documents. DMC does not routinely

maintain paper records of individual debtors in file folders with the

exception of correspondence, and replies thereto, from Congress, the

White House, members of the Cabinet and other similar sources. Paper

records related to accounts receivable may be maintained in individual

file folders located at VA regional offices, health care facilities and

CHAMPVA Center. Generally and with the exception of claims against

third-party insurers and certain first-party medical debts, such papers

maintained outside of DMC are not used directly in the debt collection

process unless they are first forwarded to DMC. Information stored on

magnetic media for most benefit debts, including first-party medical,

may be accessed through a data telecommunications terminal system

designated as CAROLS (Centralized Accounts Receivable On-Line System).

Most CAROLS terminals are located in DMC; however, VA regional offices

generally each have one terminal for inquiry purposes. Information

stored on magnetic media and related to the All-Volunteer Force

Educational Assistance, education loan, miscellaneous home loan or

CHAMPVA debt collection programs may be accessed through personal

computers. Records provided to the Department of Housing and Urban

Development for inclusion in the Credit Alert Interactive Voice

Response System (CAIVRS) are maintained on magnetic media at the HUD

Data Processing Center in Lanham, Maryland. For benefit debts other

than miscellaneous home loan, first-party medical and CHAMPVA,

identifying information, the amount of the debt and benefit source of

the debt may be stored on magnetic media in records that serve as the

data base for the VA Benefits Delivery Network (BDN). The BDN is

operated for the adjudication of claims and the entry of certain fiscal

transactions. The identifying information, the amount of the debt and

benefit source of the debt are transmitted to the Centralized Accounts

Receivable System (CARS) or a personal computer local area network

system before collection activity commences. When a debtor is awarded

gratuitous benefits under VA programs, the BDN may operate to offset

all or part of retroactive funds awarded, if any, to reduce the balance

of the indebtedness. The Decentralized Hospital Computer Program

(DHCP), through its various modules, is used to create and store first-

party medical charges and debts associated with the provision of health

care benefits. The identifying information about the person, the amount

of the debt and program source of the debt may be transmitted to CARS

as part of the collection process. When a person receives care under

the auspices of VA, a VA medical facility may collect all or part of a

charge or debt.

Retrievability:

Paper documents, microfilm and microfiche are indexed by VA file

number or date of receipt. Automated records are indexed by VA claim

number, Social Security account number, name and loan account number in

appropriate circumstances. Records in CAIVRS may only be retrieved by

Social Security number.

SAFEGUARDS:

1. Physical Security: (a) Access to working spaces and document

storage areas in DMC is restricted by cipher locks and to VA employees

on a need-to-know basis. Generally, document storage areas in VA

offices other than DMC are restricted to VA employees on a need-to-know

basis. VA offices are generally protected from outside access by the

Federal Protective Service or other security personnel. Strict control

measures are enforced to ensure that access to and disclosure from

documents, microfilm and microfiche are limited to a need-to-know

basis. (b) Access to CAROLS data telecommunications terminals is by

authorization controlled by the site security officer. The security

officer is assigned responsibility for privacy-security measures,

especially for review of violation logs, information logs and control

of password distribution. (c) Access to data processing centers is

generally restricted to center employees, custodial personnel, Federal

Protective Service and other security personnel. Access to computer

rooms is restricted to authorized operational personnel through

electronic locking devices. All other personnel gaining access to

computer rooms are escorted.

2. CAROLS and Personal Computer Local Area Network (LAN) Security:

(a) Usage of CAROLS and LAN terminal equipment is protected by password

access. Electronic keyboard locks are activated on security errors.

(b) At the data processing centers, identification of magnetic

media containing data is rigidly enforced using labeling techniques.

Automated storage media which are not in use are stored in tape

libraries which are secured in locked rooms. Access to programs is

controlled at three levels: programming, auditing and operations.

3. CAIVRS Security: Access to the HUD data processing center from

which CAIVRS is operated is generally restricted to center employees

and authorized contact employees. Access to computer rooms is

restricted to authorized operational personnel through locking devices.

All other persons gaining access to computer rooms are escorted.

[[Page 60153]]

Records in CAIVRS use Social Security numbers as identifiers.

Access to information files is restricted to authorized employees of

participating agencies and authorized employees of lenders who

participate in the agencies' programs. Access is controlled by agency

distribution of passwords. Information in the system may be accessed by

use of a touch-tone telephone by authorized agency and lender employees

on a need-to-know basis.

RENTENTION AND DISPOSAL:

Microfilm and microfiche are retained in metal cabinets in DMC for

25 years. CARS records are retained until termination of debt

collection (payment in full, write off, compromise or waiver). All

other automated storage media are retained and disposed of in

accordance with disposition authorization approved by the Archivist of

the United States. DMC generally forwards all substantive paper

documents to VA regional offices, health care facilities and CHAMPVA

Center for storage in claims files, patient treatment files, imaging

systems or loan files. Those documents are retained and disposed of in

accordance with the appropriate system of records. Information provided

to HUD for CAIVRS is stored on magnetic tape. The tapes are returned to

VA for updating each month. HUD does not keep separate copies of the

tapes.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:

Director, Debt Management Center (389/00), U.S. Department of

Veterans Affairs, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal

Drive, Ft. Snelling, MN 55111.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:

An individual who wishes to determine whether a record is being

maintained in this system under his or her name or other personal

identifier, or wants to determine the contents of such record, should

submit a written request to the system manager indicated above.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:

Individuals seeking information regarding access to and contesting

of VA records may write, call or visit the nearest VA regional office.

Address locations are listed in VA Appendix 1.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:

See record access procedures, above.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:

The records in this system are derived from four other systems of

records as set forth in ``Categories of records in the system'', above,

persons indebted to the United States by virtue of their participation

in programs administered by Va, dependents of those persons,

fiduciaries for those persons (VA or court appointed), other Federal

agencies, State and local agencies, private collection agencies,

consumer reporting agencies, State, local and county courts and clerks,

other third parties and other VA records.

[FR Doc. 96-30105 Filed 11-25-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320-01-M