Indian Health Service February 6, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, the Indian Health Service (IHS) is proposing to modify or alter a SOR, ``Indian Health Service Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs,'' System No. 09-17-0002. We propose to modify the SOR to reflect current program changes, technology changes, statutory and implementation changes. Under the system name, we propose no change to the title but the office acronyms have been changed as a result of an organizational change. We are proposing to change the system location to reflect the current organizational and office location changes. We are proposing to update the categories of individuals covered by the system with minor edits to include Tribal medical/health care and Title V Urban healthcare entity; and to update the categories of records in the system with edits to include additional program requirements ``(e.g. from W-4, direct deposit form for scholarship recipients and loan repayment participants).'' We are proposing to update the Authority for maintenance of the system to correct statutory authorities and to include additional statutory authorities (e.g., Privacy Act, Federal Records Act, and Department Regulations). We are proposing to update the Purposes by categorizing the two programs and modifying/altering by listing the applicable purposes into each of the two programs (Scholarship and Loan Repayment). We are proposing to modify/alter/ delete several published routine uses, as explained, to accommodate program and statutory changes as indicated: Numbers 1 through 3 remain unchanged; number 4 is modified/altered to reflect program language revisions and is renumbered as 5; number 5 is modified to include legal proceedings related to administrative claims and the inclusive provision of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)/Office of General Counsel (OGC) representation in litigation matters and is renumbered as 4; number 6 is deleted as no longer applicable; number 7 is renumbered as 6 with no changes in the wording; number 8 is renumbered as 7 with no changes in the wording; number 9 is renumbered as 8 with no changes in the wording; number 10 is renumbered as 9 with minor editorial changes; number 11 is renumbered as 10 with minor editorial changes to include the IHCIA acronym citation (i.e., Indian Health Care Improvement Act, as amended); number 12 is renumbered as 11 with no changes in the wording with the exception of the removal of the statement on ``Disclosure to Consumer Reporting Agencies.'' We are proposing to add 7 new routine uses to provide disclosures of records when all requirements are met: number 12, to provide disclosure to consumer reporting agency for commercial credit report and to National Student Clearinghouse using the Loan Location Internet System for verification of applicant's loan data. The statement on ``Disclosure to Consumer Reporting Agencies'' is now incorporated in this new routine use; number 13, to provide disclosure to any Federal agency on delinquent debtors or defaulting participants to effect salary offset, court-ordered administrative offset, and to the Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for verification of current mailing address for collection purposes; number 14, to allow disclosure to debt collection agents and those authorized federal or non-federal entities to collect a Federal debt from delinquent debtors or defaulting participants; number 15, to provide disclosure of applicant's information to IRS for verification of any delinquent tax account and to determine credit worthiness; number 16, to provide disclosure of applicant's information to IRS any debt that becomes partly or wholly uncollectible as taxable income; number 17, to allow disclosure to IRS of any IHS debtors or defaulting participants' information for IRS offset on tax refund; number 18, to allow the disclosure of lenders or educational institutions' information to Federal or non-Federal entities authorized to collect Federal debt and for identification of an individual and the nature of the debt. We are proposing to modify/alter the section on storage by including computerized and electronic formats; the section on safeguards for authorized users by redefining the staff functions; the section on physical safeguards to identify specific safeguards for electronic records; and the section on retention and disposal to reflect separate program changes to the IHS Records Schedule for the scholarship program records and to the loan repayment program records. We are proposing to modify/alter the section on the system managers and addresses to reflect the organization and function changes. Under the notification procedures, we are proposing to modify/alter the sections on requests in person and requests by mail to reflect minor edits and a policy change on Social Security numbers; and the section on requests by telephone by revising the wording in a clear and concise program change. In addition, we are proposing two new notification procedures that address requests by facsimile and requests by electronic mail by including a confidentiality statement on facsimile requests and clarification for electronic requests and its security safeguard risks. Under the records source categories section, we are proposing to modify/alter by including the Indian health program human resources department. This system exemption previously listed as ``None'' will remain.