Reimbursement for Data Exchanges with Third Parties
May 08, 2015
Office Affiliation: The Office of Audit
Audit Report Number: A-03-14-24027
SSA has significantly increased its data exchange workload. The Agency verifies information with other Federal, State, and local government agencies, and with many private organizations that are program and non-program related. SSA uses various systems for these data exchanges. As the number, type, and complexity of these exchanges and supporting agreements has increased, the workload of SSA components responsible for these various programs has increased.
In FY 2013, SSA created the Office of Data Exchange and Policy Publications to provide oversight and coordination of the Agency’s data exchanges. Several statutes and regulations allow SSA to be reimbursed for providing data and services to third parties. For example, the Social Security Act permits SSA to require reimbursement for the full cost of providing information for any purpose not directly related to administering the programs under the Social Security Act. This report determines whether third parties properly reimbursed SSA for data exchange agreements.