SSA conducts interviews with centenary Title II beneficiaries and Title XVI recipients, and Medicare Non-Utilization Project (MNUP) beneficiaries age 90 and older to: (1) Assess if the beneficiaries are still living; (2) prevent fraud through identity misrepresentation; and (3) evaluate the well-being of the recipients. SSA field office personnel obtain the information through one-time, in-person interviews with the centenarians and MNUP beneficiaries. If the centenarians and MNUP beneficiaries have representatives or caregivers, SSA personnel invite them to the interviews. During these interviews, SSA employees make overall observations of the centenarians, MNUP beneficiaries, and their representative payees (if applicable). The interviewer uses the appropriate Development Worksheet as a guide for the interview, in addition to documenting findings during the interview. Non-completion of the Worksheets, or refusal of the interviews, will result in the suspension of the centenariansâ or MNUP beneficiariesâ payments. SSA conducts the interviews either over the telephone or through a face-to-face discussion with the respondents. Respondents are SSI recipients or Social Security beneficiaries 100 years old or older; MNUP beneficiaries; their representative payees; or their caregivers.
US Code:
42 USC 405
Name of Law: The Social Security Act
US Code:
42 USC 1383
Name of Law: The Social Security Act
In 2010, SSA selected Title II beneficiaries and Title XVI recipients ages 103 years and older for the Centenarian Project. In 2012, SSA changed the age range to 100 years and older, and in 2014, we changed the Centenarian Project to Title XVI recipients only. Since we only conduct these interviews once, the population that still requires interviews continues to decrease. Currently, our records show we only need to conduct 240 more Centenarian reviews. We consider these remaining 240 Centenarian reviews rollover cases. These rollovers consist of Title II and Title XVI records where SSA staff has not, yet, made a successful contact confirming life or providing a death report. Upon completion of these rollover cases, we will discontinue the Centenarian Project. We will notify OMB when the remaining 240 Centenarian rollovers are complete, as this will affect the burden information in #12 above. The MNUP will continue as the official Title II replacement for the Centenarian Project. Currently, our records show 4,400 MNUP beneficiaries who require contact. Our yearly selections identify beneficiaries who do not use their Medicare over a period. Medicare usage fluctuates yearly, and this influences our MNUP respondents. Additionally, since we only conduct these interviews once per beneficiary, the population requiring interviews decreases each year.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Supporting Statement - 0780.docx
Medicare Non-utilization Project (MNUP)