Privacy Act of 1974: Re-Establishment of SSA-VA Data Matching Program for SSI, SVB, Medicare Savings, and Part D Subsidy
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is re-establishing a data matching program with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), specifically its Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). This program enables VA to share compensation and pension payment data with SSA to support the administration of several federal benefit programs. The shared data will be used to determine eligibility and benefit amounts for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients and Special Veterans Benefits (SVB) claimants. SSA requires accurate VA payment data to correctly calculate means-tested benefit levels, as VA income affects SSI eligibility thresholds. Additionally, the matched data fulfills SSA's obligations under the Medicare Savings Program (MSP), which helps low-income individuals pay Medicare premiums, deductibles, and copayments. It also supports the Medicare Part D Extra Help subsidy, which reduces prescription drug costs for qualifying low-income Medicare beneficiaries. This re-establishment notice is required by the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, which mandates public notice before federal agencies engage in computer matching of records held by different agencies. The program ensures accurate benefit coordination and reduces improper payments across these interlinked federal programs.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Re-establishes a computer matching agreement between SSA and VA/VBA under Privacy Act of 1974 authority
- VA will provide SSA with veterans' compensation and pension payment data on an ongoing basis
- Data sharing covers four programs: SSI eligibility determinations, SVB benefit calculations, Medicare Savings Program (MSP) enrollment, and Medicare Part D Extra Help subsidy
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Obligations
What this law requires
SSA must provide public notice before engaging in computer matching of records with VA/VBA
VA/VBA must share compensation and pension payment data with SSA for benefit administration purposes
SSA must use matched VA data to determine eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSA must use matched VA data to determine eligibility for Special Veterans Benefits (SVB)
SSA must use matched VA data to calculate accurate means-tested benefit levels considering VA income