The USPS requires that SSA obtain move updates from them twice a year and apply the new addresses to our records. SSA address records are matched four times per year against the USPS National Change of Address (NCOA) data base through a licensed vendor. To be selected for an address update, there must be an exact match of name, middle initial and surname, and also an exact match between the current address on our records and the prior address on the USPS database (The NCOA database has the customer's original mailing address and the new mailing address on it).

NOTE: NCOA processing applies only to Title II and not to Title XVI.

1. 1. 

   COAs identified for direct deposit beneficiaries and for certain beneficiaries not receiving payment (example: LAF codes N, ND, SH, SP, U) are updated automatically by the Title 2 Redesign program if there has not been an intervening address change since the record was matched by NCOA.

2. 2. 

   Beneficiaries are sent a call-in notice to verify the new address in the following situations:

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     Beneficiaries receiving checks

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     LAF S6 and S9 beneficiaries

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     New “in-care-of” addresses

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     Puerto Rican addresses

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     Persons with concurrent SSI eligibility

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     Address changes reported by institutions

   NOTE: The beneficiary, who verifies the address with the representative payee or the representative payee must call in, in order for us to change the address. Once the call is made, process as a normal COA.

3. 3. 

   Certain situations are excluded from the NCOA process:

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     S4 - Young wife/mother suspended for no child in care

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     S7 – Prisoner suspension, and suspension due to extended trial work period

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     S8 – Rep Payee development

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     AD – Dual-entitlement, payment made on another SSN

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     SD – Technical entitlement, payment made on another SSN

4. 4. 

   A field on the MBR entitled “ZIP flags” is used to identify NCOA actions. See SM 00510.115.

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     ”L” - Indicates that a notice has been sent to the beneficiary telling him/her that the USPS has notified us of a new mailing address for him/her (either the address will be automatically updated when the run completes or a “call-in” letter was sent).

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     “P” - Indicates that the address has been changed because of NCOA action.

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     “X” - Indicates that the beneficiary called in and requested that the old address be used. (The “X” will preclude the record from being selected for the next NCOA cycle.)

If a beneficiary asks that we not change his/her address, reinput the old address exactly as shown on the old MBR. The address will be updated to the MBR and the system will then post an “X” in the ZIP flag field to prevent the case from being reselected in the next NCOA matching operation. (For more information on updating the ZIP flag field see MSOM T2PE 007.024).

For “call-in” letters, input a COA through normal COA procedures. If we do not hear from the beneficiary, the ZIP flag of “L” will remain on the MBR, and the record will be reselected for NCOA processing again at some future date. For automatic address updates, the ZIP flag of “L” will change to “P” when the transaction processes the update.