TN 5 (02-20)

GN 03314.155 Automated Data Exchanges between the Social Security Administration (SSA) and State Agencies

A. Disclosure via electronic data exchanges

We exchange data electronically with State agencies that administer programs that meet our criteria for health maintenance or income maintenance programs. The use of electronic data exchange is the most cost-effective way to provide ongoing disclosures of our data to State agencies that administer health maintenance and income maintenance programs.

Data exchange agreements support our electronic data exchange activities with our data exchange partners. The various types of agreements document the terms and conditions under which the source and recipient agencies will exchange data and the provisions under which the exchange will occur. Field offices (FO) that receive requests from a State or local agency should consult the regional Data Exchange Coordinator (DEC) or Privacy Act Coordinator (PAC) to determine if there is an existing electronic data exchange already in place with the requesting agency, or if an electronic data exchange is possible.

NOTE: The Information Technology (IT) systems described in this section are exchanges based in central office.

B. Kinds of data exchange systems

1. Beneficiary Earnings and Data Exchange (BENDEX)

BENDEX is a centralized computer process available to States under written agreements with us. BENDEX can verify or provide Title II information about payment status, benefit amounts, entitlement and termination dates, health insurance data, and other information relevant to eligibility for State assistance programs. For a full description of the BENDEX system, see SM 10801.000.

2. Beneficiary Earnings Exchange Record (BEER)

BEER is a subset within the BENDEX system. It provides tax return information (employer data for the last calendar year) to those entities authorized to receive tax return information. For information on the disclosure of tax return information, see GN 03314.002 and GN 03320.015.

3. State Data Exchange (SDX)

SDX is an automated system available to States under written agreements with us. SDX provides Title XVI data maintained in the Supplemental Security Income Record, which includes Title XVI eligibility, benefit, and demographic data, as well as Title VIII Special Veterans Benefits.

4. State Verification and Exchange System (SVES)

SVES is an overnight batch system that provides Social Security Number (SSN) verification, Title II benefit information, and Title XVI information to State agencies through a uniform data response based on authorized user-initiated queries. In support of our data minimization policy, there are four types of SVES responses:

a. SVES I

This batch response strictly provides SSN verification and is available to State agencies that are approved use of this data for the administration of health maintenance and income maintenance programs.

NOTE: There is a separate subset of SVES I that provides SSN verification and citizenship data; this subset is referred to as SVES I/Citizenship. Consult the regional office DEC or PAC for information on the permissible use of citizenship data.

b. SVES II

This batch response provides SSN verification and Title II benefit information and is available to State agencies that are approved use of this data for the administration of health maintenance and income maintenance programs.

c. SVES III

This batch response provides SSN verification and Title XVI benefit information and is available to State agencies that are approved use of this data for the administration of health maintenance and income maintenance programs.

d. SVES IV

This batch response provides SSN verification, Title II, and Title XVI benefit information and is available to State agencies that are approved use of this data for the administration of health maintenance and income maintenance programs.

5. State Online Query (SOLQ)/State Online Query-Internet (SOLQ-I)

SOLQ and SOLQ-I are real-time online systems that provide SSN verification, Title II, and Title XVI benefit data to State agencies that are approved use of this system for the administration of certain health-maintenance and income-maintenance programs. The data provided via real-time is similar to the data provided through SVES IV. SOLQ is an online exchange (typically with the States in a mainframe), while SOLQ-I is a web-based application.

NOTE: SOLQ and SOLQ-I also provide strictly SSN verification and citizenship data (similar to SVES I/Citizenship) via SOLQ/Citizenship and SOLQ-I/Citizenship. Consult the regional office DEC or PAC for information on the permissible use of citizenship data.

6. Unemployment Insurance Query (UIQ)

UIQ is an online system that provides SSN verification to State agencies that administer the unemployment insurance (UI) program. We may also disclose Title II information to State agencies that administer UI programs. However, Title II data is typically restricted to only those State agencies that offset UI benefits by the receipt of Title II benefits. UIQ transactions are transmitted through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Interstate Connection Network (ICON) Hub. There are two types of UIQ responses:

a. UIQ I

This transaction provides strictly SSN verification to State agencies approved use of this system.

b. UIQ II

This transaction provides SSN verification and Title II benefit information to State agencies approved use of this system.

7. Low Income Subsidy (LIS)

LIS is a batch system that provides data from the LIS Application for Medicare Part D beneficiaries to State agencies approved use of this system for the administration of Medicare Savings Program.

8. Medicare 1144

Medicare 1144 is a batch system that provides information to State agencies that are approved use of this system for the administration of the Medicare 1144 (Outreach) program. This system provides a list of individuals on our rolls who may be eligible for medical assistance for the following:

  • payment of the Medicare cost-sharing under the Medicaid program pursuant to Sections 1902(a)(10)(E) and 1933 of the Social Security Act (Act);

  • transitional assistance under Section 1860D-31(f) of the Act; or

  • premiums and cost-sharing subsidies for low income individuals under Section 1860D-14 of the Act.

9. Prisoner Update Processing System (PUPS)

PUPS is an overnight batch system that provides confinement data we receive from over 2000 State and local institutions, such as jails, prisons, or other penal institutions or correctional facilities. PUPS matches the data we receive with the data on the Master Beneficiary Record and the Supplemental Security Income Record and subsequently generates alerts for review/action.

10. Quarters of Coverage (QC)

QC is an application triggered via SVES that provides qualifying quarters of coverage data (the minimum and maximum number of QCs a number holder has on our records), as well as railroad service months, and the pattern of the qualifying QCs. This overnight batch information is available to State agencies approved use of this data for the administration of health maintenance and income maintenance programs.

11. Enumeration Verification System (Batch)

Through a Batch system, we provide overnight SSN verification to State agencies that are approved use of this system. Our SSN verification routines vary in how the SSN verification searches are conducted, tolerances used in those searches, and in what information is returned to the users.

12. Help American Vote Verification (HAVV) System

HAVV is the verification system that provides verification of the last four digits of the SSN to State agencies responsible for voter registration administration. State agencies should only utilize this system when the new voter registrant does not have a valid driver’s license. We provide HAVV to the States through the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrator’s (AAMVA) AAMVAnet network.

13. Social Security Online Verification (SSOLV)

SSOLV is a real-time system that provides SSN verification to State Motor Vehicle Administrations and State agencies charged with administration of drivers’ licenses and identification cards. AAMVA’s AAMVAnet network acts as the conduit through which authorized State agencies receive SSOLV.

C. Data exchange systems documentation in the data exchange agreement

If a State agency is authorized to receive any of the data exchange systems noted in this section, the data exchange agreement must state so, as well as explicitly identify the program(s) authorized to receive each data exchange system. The recipient agency cannot utilize data exchange systems for programs that are not authorized use of the data exchange system, as stated on the data exchange agreements.

D. Timeframes and methods of transmission of State data exchange applications

We process State data exchange requests through applications that either handle the requests through a batch process or a real-time process. When processing the data exchange request through our batch process, we receive the request and return a response within 48 hours. When processing the data exchange request through our real-time process, we will respond to the request within seconds.

NOTE: Data exchange partners must submit their data exchange request through the method of transmission that they and SSA agreed upon in the data exchange agreement. For example, if the agreement outlines a batch submission, the data exchange partner cannot submit the data exchange request as a real-time request or vice versa.

State Data Exchange Applications

Transmission Methods

BENDEX

Batch

BEER

Batch

SDX

Batch

SVES

Batch

SOLQ/SOLQ-I

Real-time

UIQ

Real-time

PUPS

Batch

QCs

Batch

LIS

Batch

E. Use and redisclosure of data provided to State agencies

Generally, a State agency may not redisclose data received under the terms and conditions of its data exchange agreement with us without our prior written permission. We will only permit the redisclosure if it meets the following criteria:

  • it is required by law or essential to the conduct of the applicable data exchange activity, and

  • it is authorized under a routine use.

To the extent we approve a requested redisclosure, the State agency will ensure that any entity receiving the redisclosed data complies with certain requirements in the data exchange agreement. This includes the procedures and limitations on use, duplication, and redisclosure of our data; the administrative, technical, and physical security requirements governing all of the data we provide electronically to the State agency; and the specific guidance on safeguarding and reporting responsibilities for personally identifiable information. Refer questions on the proper use and redisclosure of our data to the regional PAC, as well as to the Office of Privacy and Disclosure.


To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0203314155
GN 03314.155 - Automated Data Exchanges between the Social Security Administration (SSA) and State Agencies - 02/20/2020
Batch run: 02/28/2020
Rev:02/20/2020