SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

· Name of project.

Title II System

· Unique project identifier.

016-00-SSA/DCS-M-001

· Privacy Impact Assessment Contact.

     Director
     Division of Title II Eligibility
     Office of Retirement and Survivors 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 Title II System is a Social Security Administration (SSA) certified and accredited Major Application consisting of several sub-systems that function to take applications for Title II (Retirement, Survivors or Disability Insurance) Social Security benefits and Medicare Enrollments, and perform all post-adjudicative entitlement and payment activities for individuals entitled to Title II benefits. The Title II System maintains the basic information we collect to determine individuals’ entitlement to benefits under Social Security and Medicare programs and includes personal identification data about individuals such as names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and marital status. The Title II System also maintains data related to earnings and Supplemental Security Income for the aged, blind and disabled; data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for Medicare considerations; and data from the Railroad Retirement Board. The data collected in the Title II System is used to determine individuals’ Title II entitlement and benefit dates; to determine Medicare enrollment dates; to communicate with the beneficiaries; and to perform post-adjudicative activities involved in determining entitlement and eligibility by establishing records of entitlement and maintaining payments for as long as the individual is entitled to Title II benefits.

We generally disclose this information only as necessary to process an individual’s claim for benefits or as authorized by Federal law (e.g., we share information with the Department of Veterans Affairs to administer its programs that are similar to SSA programs). The Title II 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 Title II 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 Title II 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 Title II System does not require a new Privacy Act system of records or an alteration to an existing system of records. The Title II 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, benefit payment data and Medicare enrollment data in the Title II System 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