[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 53 (Monday, March 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11075-11076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6376]



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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Representative Payment Advisory Committee; Meeting

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice.

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DATES:
March 28, 1996, 9:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
March 29, 1996, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, 
449 Auburn Avenue NE., Atlanta, GA 30312.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Type of Meeting: The meeting is open to the public.
    Purpose: The Social Security Administration (SSA) had previously 
announced this meeting in the Federal Register (60 FR 66574) on 
December 22, 1995. Subsequently, a Notice of Postponement was published 
in the Federal Register (61 FR 1661) on January 22, 1996. In accordance 
with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, SSA now 
announces the fourth meeting of the Representative Payment Advisory 
Committee. The Committee will discuss issues related to payee 
recruitment and retention, standards for payee performance, use/misuse 
of benefits, payee accountability and payee oversight. The Committee 
will focus its discussion on the investigation and selection of payees.
    SSA investigates all payee applicants. The application form 
requires the individual to disclose certain information, including his/
her relationship to the beneficiary and his/her own source(s) of 
income. After the applicant has provided positive identification, SSA 
uses its own records to verify the applicant's social security number 
and work history. SSA screens the applicant against a listing of 
persons who have been convicted of social security or supplemental 
security income fraud. Such persons may not be appointed as payees 
under any circumstances. There are other factors which may result in 
the rejection of a payee applicant also.
    SSA has built a database of representative payee information which

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is readily accessible to all social security offices. The database 
includes information concerning any prior performance as a 
representative payee.
    SSA selects the best payee from among the applicants who are 
willing to serve. If none is immediately available, SSA continues 
developing leads until a satisfactory applicant is located. Unless 
direct payment is legally prohibited, benefits generally continue to be 
paid to a beneficiary while SSA seeks a qualified payee.
    Advance notification of the payee selection is provided to the 
beneficiary (or his/her legal representative or guardian) before 
payment is certified and the beneficiary is given the opportunity to 
appeal the payee selection.
    Agenda: The Committee will meet commencing at 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 
p.m. on Thursday, March 28, 1996, with a break for dinner and from 9:00 
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 29, 1996. The public is invited to 
attend both days, including the evening deliberation; however, no 
testimony will be heard that evening. Agenda items for both days will 
include, but not be limited to, a discussion concerning the 
investigation and selection of the payee applicant. Oral statements on 
these issues or any issue concerning representative payment policy are 
sought from the public for presentation on March 29. Presentations will 
be limited to 5 minutes per public speaker.
    Persons interested in presenting an oral statement may call the 
Advisory Committee staff at (410) 966-4688 to schedule a presentation 
time or they may submit a written request, along with a copy of their 
statement, to the Representative Payment Advisory Committee, 2-N-24 
Operations Building, P.O. Box 17763, Baltimore, MD 21203-7763. Requests 
should contain the name, address, telephone number and any business or 
professional affiliation of the person desiring to make an oral 
statement. Groups having similar interests are requested to combine 
their comments and present them through a single representative. The 
allocation of time may be adjusted to accommodate the level of 
expressed interest. The Representative Payment Advisory Committee will 
notify each presenter by mail or telephone of their assigned 
presentation time. Persons who do not make a written or oral request 
for presentation in advance, but desire to make an oral statement, may 
sign up at the meeting site before noon on March 29. These persons will 
be allowed to present their oral statements as time permits. The 
Committee also encourages written comments. They may be sent to the 
Representative Payment Advisory Committee at 2-N-24 Operations 
Building, P.O. Box 17763, Baltimore, MD 21203-7763.
    Records are being kept of all Committee proceedings, and are 
available for public inspection at the office of the Social Security 
Administration, Representative Payment Advisory Committee, Room 2-N-24, 
Operations Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235 
between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on regular business days. 
Anyone requiring information regarding the Committee should contact the 
Representative Payment Advisory Committee at P.O. Box 17763, Baltimore, 
MD 21203-7763; Telephone: (410) 966-4688; FAX: (410) 966-0980; 
Internet: [email protected].

    Dated: March 11, 1996.
Reba Andrew,
Staff Director, Representative Payment Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 96-6376 Filed 3-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4190-29-P