SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

 

·         Name of project.

Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance Accounting System

·         Unique project identifier.

016-00-SSA/DCS-M-002

·         Privacy Impact Assessment Contact.

      Director
      Division of Title II Payments and Accounting
      Office of Retirement Survivors and Insurance Systems
      Social Security Administration
      6401 Security Boulevard
      Baltimore, MD 21235

·         Describe the information to be collected, why the information is being collected, the intended use of the information and with whom the information will be shared.

The Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance Accounting (RSDI-ACCT) System is a Social Security Administration (SSA) certified and accredited Major Application consisting of several sub-systems that accumulate accounting control, payment certification, trust fund, and statistical totals for the Title II (Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance) benefit payment system.  The RSDI-ACCT system collects payment data such as the beneficiary monthly benefit amount paid, the trust fund on which the payment was made (i.e., Retirement, Survivors or Disability), and bank information.  The system also collects statistical data, such as the type of action being taken (e.g., a Disability benefit award) and trust fund data, such as the amount of Medicare premiums withheld from Title II benefit checks that needs to be transferred to the Medicare trust funds.  Once developed, the accounting totals are used to ensure the integrity of the Master Beneficiary Record and the accuracy of the benefit payments issued by SSA.  The accounting totals are also used for various financial reports and trust fund accounting.  

The information used by the RSDI-ACCT System is collected and maintained for purposes related to other business processes.  We generally disclose this information only as necessary to process an individual’s claim for benefits or as authorized by Federal law.  The RSDI-ACCT System is not accessible to members of the public.

·         Describe the administrative and technological controls that are in place or that are planned to secure the information being collected.

The RSDI-ACCT System has undergone authentication and security risk analyses.  The latter includes an evaluation of security and audit controls proven to be effective in protecting the information collected, stored, processed, and transmitted by our information systems.  These include technical, management, and operational controls that permit access to those users who have an official “need to know.”  Audit mechanisms are in place to record sensitive transactions as an additional measure to protect information from unauthorized disclosure or modification.

We protect the information in the RSDI-ACCT System by requiring employees who are authorized to access the information system to use a unique Personal Identification Number.  In addition, we store the computerized records in secure areas that are accessible to those employees who require the information to perform their official duties.  Furthermore, all of our employees who have access to our information systems that maintain personal information must sign a sanction document annually that acknowledges penalties for unauthorized access to, or disclosure of, such information.

·         Describe the impact on individuals’ privacy rights.

Are individuals afforded an opportunity to decline to provide information? 

We collect information only where we have specific legal authority to do so in order to administer our responsibilities under the Social Security Act.  When we collect personal information from individuals, we advise them of our legal authority for requesting the information, the purposes for which we will use and disclose the information, and the consequences of their not providing any or all of the requested information.  The individuals can then make informed decisions as to whether or not they should provide the information.

Are individuals afforded an opportunity to consent to only particular uses of the information?

When we collect information from individuals, we advise them of the purposes for which we will use the information.  We further advise them that we will disclose this information without their prior written consent only when we have specific legal authority to do so

(e.g., the Privacy Act).   

·         Does the collection of this information require a new system of records under the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a) or an alteration to an existing system of records?

The RSDI-ACCT System does not require a new Privacy Act system of records or an alteration to an existing system of records.  The RSDI-ACCT System uses information that is collected and maintained for purposes related to other business processes for which there are currently Privacy Act systems of records in existence.   For example, Title II benefit payment data and Medicare premium data in RSDI-ACCT are covered by systems of records, such as the Master Beneficiary Record (60-0090) and the Medicare Database (60-0321), respectively.

PIA CONDUCTED BY PRIVACY OFFICER, SSA:

______________________________                     September 25, 2007

SIGNATURE                                                          DATE

PIA REVIEWED BY SENIOR AGENCY PRIVACY OFFICIAL, SSA:

   /S/    Thomas W. Crawley________                       September 27, 2007

SIGNATURE                                                             DATE