Effective Dates: 05/20/2024 - Present Previous | Next

TN 38 (05-24)

GN 00302.980 Electronic Verification of Vital Events - Age

A. Background

The Electronic Verification of Vital Events (EVVE) system is the result of collaboration between the Social Security Administration and the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems (NAPHSIS). It allows authorized SSA employees to verify a person’s date of birth (DOB) by using the EVVE system to query the participating states’ vital record systems. The EVVE system can be used to verify a person’s DOB for enumeration purposes, and if it is determined that visual viewing of the birth certificate (BC) is unnecessary. The EVVE system provides only verification queries (i.e., no certification queries). A verification query is a request to corroborate data from a birth certificate (BC), either from the document the individual submits to SSA or from the data the person supplies to SSA from the BC in his or her possession.

B. Procedure

Enter into EVVE only the data shown on the BC the person submitted. For telephone claims, use the allegation the claimant provided over the telephone and follow the proof of age tolerance in GN 00302.030. Do not enter other data into EVVE in an effort to obtain a match because the BC would not be considered verified. For example, if the individual spells his or her name differently from that shown on the BC, enter the name shown on the BC and process the case per instructions in GN 00302.980C.6. Conduct an EVVE search to verify birth data if an SSN applicant presents:

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    an original BC that is questionable;

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    an uncertified copy of the BC (e.g., a photocopy);

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    Existing policy requires verification of the birth record. See RM 10210.270 — GN 00203.030 for instructions.

NOTE: An SSN applicant must submit the actual BC to SSA.

See MSOM INTRANET 003.001 - MSOM INTRANET 003.002 for instructions about how to conduct a verification search.

REMINDER: You must establish the person’s identity before using the EVVE system to search for a person’s vital record. See GN 00203.020 for instructions about establishing a claimant’s identity, and see RM 10210.405 for instructions about establishing identity for an SSN applicant.

C. Procedure - Verification search results in a match/No match

1. Verification search results in an exact match

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    For a claim, if the EVVE system returns the message that the search resulted in a match, document MCS/MSSICS/EVID according to the instructions in this section GN 00302.980D.

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    For an enumeration action, if verification of the BC is required per RM 10210.270 and the EVVE system returns the message that the search resulted in a match (i.e., the BC is verified), process the SSN application if all other required evidence is submitted (RM 10205.185 and RM 10205.300). Document your actions following the instructions in GN 00302.980D.4.

2. Verification search results in a no match

If the EVVE system returns the message that the search resulted in a no match, be sure that you entered the data correctly into the EVVE system. If the data entered was incorrect, enter the data correctly into the EVVE system. If the new search results in a match, follow the instructions in GN 00302.980C.1. If the new search results in a no match:

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    For a claim, determine the reason for the no match, and follow the instructions in GN 00302.980C.3. – GN 00302.980C.7.; or

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    For an enumeration action, process the SSN application per RM 10205.320, Processing an SSN Application when Verifying Agency Responds the Document is Fraudulent.

NOTE: An SSN applicant must submit the actual BC to SSA.

3. Date of Birth is discrepant

Determine whether the discrepancy is material using the instructions in GN 00302.160. If the discrepancy is not material, follow the instructions in GN 00302.240.

If the DB is materially discrepant:

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    Obtain preferred evidence of age. See GN 00302.052 – GN 00302.056 for instructions about preferred evidence of age.

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    If preferred evidence of age does not exist, resolve the discrepancy using the instructions in GN 00302.165 – GN 00302.190; and

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    Prepare a written determination when required by the instructions in GN 00302.405 – GN 00302.430. Document the decision on the RPOC screen in MCS or on the Report of Contact page in the Consolidated Claims Experience (CCE). If they are unavailable, use the SSA-2038-F3 (Date of Birth Determination) following the instructions in GN 00302.430 or the SSA-553 (Special Determination).

4. Birth record established on or after age 5

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    Determine whether preferred evidence of age exists (see GN 00302.052 – GN 00302.056) and use it to establish the DB if applicable, or

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    If preferred evidence of age does not exist, develop other evidence of age according to the instructions in GN 00302.100.

5. Death indicated on birth record/SSA records

a. EVVE, allegation, and SSA records indicate NH is deceased

If the EVVE system output indicates that a NH may be deceased, this agrees with the allegation that the NH is deceased, and SSA’s systems records (i.e., Numident, MBR, and/or SSR) indicate the NH is deceased, consider the BC to be verified. This situation may occur when developing POA for a deceased NH as required by GN 00302.005.

b. EVVE indicates NH is deceased, SSA record disagrees

If the EVVE system output indicates that a NH may be deceased, and SSA’s systems records (i.e., Numident, MBR, and/or SSR) indicate that the NH is alive:

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    Review all identifying information shown on the record (e.g., claimant or SSN applicant’s name, place of birth) to be certain that it is the claimant’s record and that all information was input into EVVE correctly;

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    Modify your search if the data entered was incorrect; and

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    If the EVVE system output still shows the NH as deceased and you suspect that the claimant may have assumed the identity of a deceased NH, develop possible fraud following the instructions in GN 04110.010.

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    If fraud is not suspected/detected, ask the claimant to obtain the birth record from the state bureau of vital statistics (BVS). This will provide the most current data from the BVS in cases in which the database has not yet been updated. See GN 00308.000 for instructions about requesting vital records.

c. EVVE indicates NH is alive, SSA record disagrees

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    Review all identifying information shown on the record (e.g., claimant or SSN applicant’s name, place of birth) to be certain that it is the claimant’s record and that all information was input into EVVE correctly;

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    Modify your search if the data entered was incorrect; and

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    If the EVVE system output still shows the NH as alive and you suspect that the claimant may have assumed the identity of a deceased NH, develop possible fraud following the instructions in GN 04110.010.

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    If fraud is not suspected/detected, resolve erroneous death data on the Numident by following the procedure in GN 00304.100B.

6. Name discrepancies

If the EVVE system output indicates that the name does not match, develop the name discrepancy following the instructions in GN 00302.458 – GN 00302.470.

7. Original certificate modified

If the EVVE system returns a message that the data has been modified, follow the procedure in GN 00302.510G.

NOTE: The output will not indicate which data elements were modified.

D. Documenting SSA systems

NOTE: FOs and WSUs should follow the instructions in GN 01070.781 for WSU-related claims.

1. EVVE output verifies the information on a BC for a claim

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    Code the MCS RSDHI Claims Application (APPL) screen using the instructions in MSOM MCS 005.009 and/or the MSSICS Client Identification (ACID) screen using the instructions in MSOM MSSICS 008.002. Code evidence not recorded to MCS or MSSICS to EVID (MSOM EVID 001.003).

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    On the Development Worksheet (DW01) code the:

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      ISSUE field with “AGE;”

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      REC field with the date the search was made; and

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      REMARKS field with a remark of “EVVE VERIF” and the state file number returned by EVVE.

2. EVVE output verifies the information on a BC for postentitlement purposes

Follow the instructions in GN 00301.288G.6. about recording online evidence.

3. EVVE output does not verify the information on a BC for a claim or postentitlement issue

If EVVE does not verify the information on the BC and you cannot ignore the discrepancy (e.g., the DB is materially discrepant), code EVID (GN 00301.286C.).

4. EVVE output verifies information on the BC for enumeration purposes

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    To document SSNAP after completing a verification match using EVVE, select “Verified” under “Document Verification” on the SSNAP Proof of Age screen and annotate, “EVVE search resulted in match” in the “Remarks” field on the SSNAP Summary Screen.

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    Process suspect or fraudulent documents according to the instructions in RM 10205.300, RM 10205.305, RM 10205.310, and the SSNAP User Guide .

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    When manually coding a paper Form SS-5, complete the evidence blocks of the SS-5 following the instructions in RM 10205.185 and RM 10205.190.

E. References

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    MSOM INTRANET 003.001 – MSOM INTRANET 003.002 EVVE

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    GN 00302.000 Proof of Age – Table of Contents

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    RM 10210.270 Evidence of Age for an SSN Card

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    GN 00301.287 How Evidence is Recorded on EVID and Report of Contact page in the Consolidated Claims Experience (CCE) in PE Situations

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    GN 00301.288 What Information is Needed on EVID and Report of Contact page in the Consolidated Claims Experience (CCE) in PE Situations to Identify the Type of Evidence Submitted

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    GN 00203.020 Identity of Claimants

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    RM 10210.405 Evidence of Identity for an SSN Card

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    GN 01070.781 Field Office (FO) and Workload Support Unit (WSU) Coordination on Immediate Claims Processing

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200302980
GN 00302.980 - Electronic Verification of Vital Events - Age - 05/20/2024
Batch run: 12/10/2024
Rev:05/20/2024