Social Security Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents
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Notice on Penalty Inflation Adjustments for Civil Monetary Penalties
The Social Security Administration is giving notice of its updated maximum civil monetary penalties. These amounts are effective from January 15, 2020 through January 14, 2021. These figures represent an annual adjustment for inflation. The updated figures and notification are required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Act).
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE).
Hearings Held by Administrative Appeals Judges of the Appeals Council
We propose to revise our rules to clarify when and how administrative appeals judges (AAJ) on our Appeals Council may hold hearings and issue decisions. The Appeals Council already has the authority to hold hearings and issue decisions under our existing statute and regulations, but we have not exercised this authority or explained the circumstances under which it would be appropriate for the Appeals Council to assume responsibility for holding a hearing and issuing a decision. The proposed clarifications will ensure the Appeals Council is not limited in the type of claims for which it may hold hearings. We expect that these proposed rules will increase our adjudicative capacity when needed, allowing us to adjust more quickly to fluctuating short-term workloads, such as when an influx of cases reaches the hearings level. Our ability to utilize our limited resources more effectively will help us quickly optimize our hearings capacity, which in turn will allow us to continue to issue accurate, timely, high-quality decisions.
Setting the Manner for the Appearance of Parties and Witnesses at a Hearing
We are publishing a final rule we proposed in November 2018 regarding setting the time, place, and manner of appearance for hearings at the administrative law judge (ALJ) level of our administrative review process, with modifications. Our final rule states that we (the agency) will determine how parties and witnesses will appear at a hearing before an ALJ, and that we will set the time and place for the hearing accordingly. We will schedule the parties to a hearing to appear by video teleconference (VTC), in person, or, in limited circumstances, by telephone. Under this final rule, we will decide how parties and witnesses will appear at a hearing based on several factors, but the parties to a hearing will continue to have the ability to opt out of appearing by VTC at the ALJ hearings level. Finally, we are revising our rule to state that, at the ALJ hearing level, if we need to send an amended notice of hearing, or if we need to schedule a supplemental hearing, we will send the amended notice or notice of supplemental hearing at least 20 days before the date of the hearing. The date of hearing indicated in the amended notice or notice of supplemental hearing will be at least 75 days from the date we first sent the claimant a notice of hearing, unless the claimant has waived his or her right to advance notice.
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This computer matching agreement sets forth the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which DHS will disclose information to SSA in order to identify aliens who leave the United States voluntarily and aliens who are removed from the United States. These aliens may be subject to suspension of payments or nonpayment of benefits or both, and recovery of overpayments. SSA will use DHS data to determine if suspension of payments, nonpayments of benefits, or recovery of overpayments, is applicable.
Rate for Assessment on Direct Payment of Fees to Representatives in 2020
We are announcing that the assessment percentage rate under the Social Security Act (Act) is 6.3 percent for 2020.
Rules Regarding the Frequency and Notice of Continuing Disability Reviews; Extension of Comment Period
On November 18, 2019, we published the proposed rule Rules Regarding the Frequency and Notice of Continuing Disability Reviews in the Federal Register, and solicited public comments. We provided a 60- day comment period ending January 17, 2020. We are extending the comment period for 15 days.
Extension of Expiration Dates for Five Body System Listings
We are extending the expiration dates of the following body systems in the Listing of Impairments (listings) in our regulations: Musculoskeletal System, Cardiovascular System, Digestive System, Skin Disorders, and Immune System Disorders. We are making no other revisions to these body systems in this final rule. This extension ensures that we will continue to have the criteria we need to evaluate impairments in the affected body systems at step three of the sequential evaluation processes for initial claims and continuing disability reviews.
Advance Designation of Representative Payees for Social Security Beneficiaries
The Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2018 (Strengthening Protections Act) requires us to promulgate regulations specifying the information Social Security beneficiaries and applicants must provide to designate a representative payee in advance of our determination that the beneficiary needs a representative payee. We propose to revise our rules to satisfy this requirement, and to specify that we will allow individuals to designate in advance one or more potential representative payees. We also explain how we propose to consider an individual's advance designation when we select a representative payee.
Rules Regarding the Frequency and Notice of Continuing Disability Reviews
We propose to revise our regulations regarding when and how often we conduct continuing disability reviews (CDR), which are periodic reviews of eligibility required for benefit continuation. The proposed rules would add a category to the existing medical diary categories that we use to schedule CDRs and revise the criteria for assigning each of the medical diary categories to cases. The proposed rules would also change the frequency with which we perform a CDR for claims with the medical diary category for permanent impairments. The revised changes would ensure that we continue to maintain appropriate stewardship of the disability program and identify medical improvement (MI) at its earliest point.
National Disability Forum
We are announcing the fourteenth National Disability Forum. The purpose of this public forum is to obtain feedback from experts in their field on what impairments have a likelihood to improve. This forum will be moderated, and include up to five panelists presenting information on the topic. Additionally, there will be a combined question and answer session during which the panelists will address questions from those on site and received by email during the forum.
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This matching agreement establishes the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which CMS will disclose to SSA Medicare non-utilization information for Social Security Title II beneficiaries aged 90 and above. CMS will identify Medicare enrollees whose records have been inactive for three or more years. SSA will use this data as an indicator to select and prioritize cases for review to determine continued eligibility for benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act (Act). SSA will contact these individuals to verify ongoing eligibility. SSA will use this data for the purposes of fraud discovery and the analysis of fraud program operations; this agreement allows for SSA's Office of Anti-Fraud Programs (OAFP) to evaluate the data for the purposes of fraud detection. SSA will refer individual cases of suspected fraud, waste, or abuse to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for investigation.
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
In accordance with the Privacy Act, we are issuing public notice of our intent to modify an existing system of records entitled, Claims Folders System (60-0089), last published on April 1, 2003. This notice publishes details of the modified system as set forth under the caption, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Notice Announcing Addresses for Service of Process
Our Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is responsible for processing and handling summonses and complaints in lawsuits involving judicial review of our final decisions on individual claims for benefits under titles II, VIII, and XVI of the Social Security Act (Act), and individual claims for a Medicare Part D subsidy under title XVIII of the Act. This notice sets out the names and current addresses of those offices and the jurisdictions for which each office has responsibility.
Prohibiting Persons With Certain Criminal Convictions From Serving as Representative Payees; Correction
On February 15, 2019, we published final rules in the Federal Register to prohibit persons convicted of certain crimes from serving as representative payees under the Social Security Act (Act), as required by the Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2018. Those final rules inadvertently included two words in three places that should not have been there, and omitted one word in two sections of the rules. This document corrects the inadvertent inclusions and omissions in the final rules.
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the Department of Labor (DOL). This matching agreement establishes the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which the DOL will disclose the DOL-administered Part B Black Lung (BL) benefit data to SSA. SSA will match DOL's Part B BL data with SSA's records of persons receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to verify that Part B BL beneficiaries are receiving the correct amount of SSI payments.
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the Department of Labor (DOL). The matching agreement (agreement) establishes the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which DOL will disclose the DOL- administered Part C Black Lung (BL) benefit data to SSA. SSA will match DOL's Part C BL data with SSA's records of persons receiving Social Security disability benefits to verify that Part C BL beneficiaries are receiving the correct amount of Social Security disability benefits.
Cost-of-Living Increase and Other Determinations for 2020
Under title II of the Social Security Act (Act), there will be a 1.6 percent cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits effective December 2019. In addition, the national average wage index for 2018 is $52,145.80. The cost-of-living increase and national average wage index affect other program parameters as described below.
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). The matching agreement (agreement) sets forth the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which VA/VBA will provide SSA with information necessary to: (1) Identify certain Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Special Veterans Benefit (SVB) recipients under Title XVI and Title VIII of the Social Security Act (Act), respectively, who receive VA-administered benefits; (2) determine the eligibility or amount of payment for SSI and SVB recipients; and (3) identify the income of individuals who may be eligible for Medicare cost-sharing assistance through the Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) as part of the agency's Medicare outreach efforts.
Rules of Conduct and Standards of Responsibility for Appointed Representatives; Correction
On July 2, 2018, we published final rules in the Federal Register revising our rules of conduct and standards of responsibility for representatives. Those final rules reduced the amount of time to request Appeals Council review of a hearing officer's decision from 30 days to 14 business days, but we inadvertently failed to make the same change in the parallel sections of the CFR, which details when the Appeals Council will dismiss a request for review. This document corrects the omitted sections and makes our regulations consistent.
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB). This matching agreement sets forth the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which RRB will disclose to SSA information necessary to verify an individual's self-certification of eligibility for the Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs program (Extra Help). It will also enable SSA to identify individuals who may qualify for Extra Help as part of the agency's Medicare outreach efforts.
Extension of Expiration Dates for Two Body System Listings
We are extending the expiration dates of the following body systems in the Listing of Impairments (listings) in our regulations: Respiratory Disorders and Genitourinary Disorders. We are making no other revisions to these body systems in this final rule. This extension ensures that we will continue to have the criteria we need to evaluate impairments in the affected body systems at step three of the sequential evaluation processes for initial claims and continuing disability reviews.
Security and Suitability Files
We are issuing a final rule to exempt a system of records entitled Security and Suitability Files. This final rule also removes two systems of records listed in our exemptions, but which do not exist, and will replace them with a new exemption for this specified system of records from specific provisions of the Privacy Act.\1\
Social Security Ruling, SSR 19-4p; Titles II and XVI: Evaluating Cases Involving Primary Headache Disorders
We are providing notice of SSR 19-4p. This SSR provides guidance on how we establish that a person has a medically determinable impairment of a primary headache disorder and how we evaluate primary headache disorders in disability claims under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act.
Social Security Ruling 19-3p; Titles II and XVI: Requesting Reconsideration or Hearing by an Administrative Law Judge
We are giving notice of SSR 19-3p. This SSR explains the two options available to claimants appealing our determinations that they are not disabled based on medical factors. In this SSR, we explain both the paper and electronic appeal options for requesting reconsideration or a hearing by an administrative law judge (ALJ), and the similarities and differences between these two options. We explain these options to help claimants make informed decisions when deciding whether to use the paper appeal or electronic appeal option to request reconsideration or a hearing.
Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Digestive Disorders and Skin Disorders
We propose to revise the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving digestive and skin disorders in adults and children under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (Act). The proposed revisions reflect our adjudicative experience, advances in medical knowledge, and comments we received from experts and the public in response to two advance notices of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM).
Notice of an Initial Enrollment Period for Our Electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification Service
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is announcing the initial enrollment period for a new electronic Consent Based Social Security Number (SSN) Verification (eCBSV) service. SSA will roll out the service to a limited number of users in June 2020, and plans on expanding the number of users within six months of the initial rollout. All interested permitted entities must apply during this initial enrollment period to be eligible to use the new eCBSV service during either the initial rollout or subsequent planned expansion. Permitted entities that do not apply during the initial enrollment period must wait until the next designated period after the planned expansion to apply for enrollment. The initial enrollment period for permitted entities will begin on July 17, 2019, and remain open until the period closes on July 31, 2019. In accord with statutory requirements, permitted entities will be required to provide payment to build the new eCBSV system.
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records; Correction
The Social Security Administration published a System of Records Notice (SORN) in the Federal Register on Monday, April 15, 2019 concerning the Mass Emergency Notification System. That document contained an incorrect SORN number. This notice corrects that error.
Social Security Ruling, SSR 19-2p; Titles II and XVI: Evaluating Cases Involving Obesity
We are providing notice of SSR 19-2p. This SSR provides guidance on how we establish that a person has a medically determinable impairment of obesity and how we evaluate obesity in disability claims under Titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act.
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the States, including tribal agencies and United States (U.S.) territories.
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces new matching program with the Law Enforcement Agency (Source Jurisdiction). The purpose of this agreement is to establish the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which SSA will conduct a computer matching program with Source Jurisdiction in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder, to identify individuals in the Source Jurisdiction who are (1) fleeing fugitive felons, parole violators, or probation violators, as defined by the Social Security Act (Act) and in accordance with the Martinez Settlement and the Clark Court Order, as defined below; and who are also (2) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients, Retirement, Survivors and Disability Insurance (RSDI) beneficiaries, Special Veterans Benefit (SVB) beneficiaries, or representative payees for SSI recipients, RSDI beneficiaries, or SVB beneficiaries.
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
In accordance with the Privacy Act and our disclosure regulations we are issuing public notice of our intent to establish a new system of records entitled, Program Litigation File System (60- 0278). This notice publishes details of the new system as set forth under the caption, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
In accordance with the Privacy Act, we are issuing public notice of our intent to modify an existing system of records entitled, Completed Determination RecordContinuing Disability Determinations, (60-0050), last published in January 11, 2006. This notice publishes details of the proposed updates as set forth below under the caption SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces new matching program with the Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center (DoD/DMDC). This computer matching agreement (agreement) sets forth the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which DoD/DMDC will disclose to SSA data to verify information provided to SSA by applicants, beneficiaries, and recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments and Special Veterans Benefits (SVB). The SSI and SVB recipient/beneficiary provides information about eligibility/ entitlement factors (e.g., income, reosurces, living arrangements). SSA obtains additional information, as necessary, before making any determinations of eligibility/payment or entitlement/benefit amounts or adjustments thereto. Military retirement payments to SSI recipients and SVB beneficiaries include retired members, or their survivors, of the Uniformed Services, i.e., Army; Navy; Air Force; Marine Corps; Coast Guard; and the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. SSA will accomplish this task by computer matching with DoD/DMDC.
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