Administrative requirements prescribed by Commissioner; criteria; reduction of benefits to individual for noncompliance with requirements; payment to homeless

(A) The Commissioner of Social Security shall, subject to subparagraph (B) and subsection (j), prescribe such requirements with respect to the filing of applications, the suspension or termination of assistance, the furnishing of other data and material, and the reporting of events and changes in circumstances, as may be necessary for the effective and efficient administration of this subchapter.

(B) (i) The requirements prescribed by the Commissioner of Social Security pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall require that eligibility for benefits under this subchapter will not be determined solely on the basis of declarations by the applicant concerning eligibility factors or other relevant facts, and that relevant information will be verified from independent or collateral sources and additional information obtained as necessary in order to assure that such benefits are only provided to eligible individuals (or eligible spouses) and that the amounts of such benefits are correct. For this purpose and for purposes of federally administered supplementary payments of the type described in section 1382e(a) of this title (including payments pursuant to an agreement entered into under section 212(a) of Public Law 93–66 ), the Commissioner of Social Security shall, as may be necessary, request and utilize information available pursuant to section 6103( l )(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and any information which may be available from State systems under section 1320b–7 of this title , and shall comply with the requirements applicable to States (with respect to information available pursuant to section 6103( l )(7)(B) of such Code) under subsections (a)(6) and (c) of such section 1320b–7 of this title . (ii) (I) The Commissioner of Social Security may require each applicant for, or recipient of, benefits under this subchapter to provide authorization by the applicant or recipient (or by any other person whose income or resources are material to the determination of the eligibility of the applicant or recipient for such benefits) for the Commissioner to obtain (subject to the cost reimbursement requirements of section 1115(a) of the Right to Financial Privacy Act [ 12 U.S.C. 3415 ]) from any financial institution (within the meaning of section 1101(1) of such Act [ 12 U.S.C. 3401(1) ]) any financial record (within the meaning of section 1101(2) of such Act [ 12 U.S.C. 3401(2) ]) held by the institution with respect to the applicant or recipient (or any such other person) whenever the Commissioner determines the record is needed in connection with a determination with respect to such eligibility or the amount of such benefits. (II) Notwithstanding section 1104(a)(1) of the Right to Financial Privacy Act [ 12 U.S.C. 3404(a)(1) ], an authorization provided by an applicant or recipient (or any other person whose income or resources are material to the determination of the eligibility of the applicant or recipient) pursuant to subclause (I) of this clause shall remain effective until the earliest of— (aa) the rendering of a final adverse decision on the applicant’s application for eligibility for benefits under this subchapter; (bb) the cessation of the recipient’s eligibility for benefits under this subchapter; or (cc) the express revocation by the applicant or recipient (or such other person referred to in subclause (I)) of the authorization, in a written notification to the Commissioner. (III) (aa) An authorization obtained by the Commissioner of Social Security pursuant to this clause shall be considered to meet the requirements of the Right to Financial Privacy Act [ 12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.] for purposes of section 1103(a) of such Act [ 12 U.S.C. 3403(a) ], and need not be furnished to the financial institution, notwithstanding section 1104(a) of such Act [ 12 U.S.C. 3404(a) ]. (bb) The certification requirements of section 1103(b) of the Right to Financial Privacy Act [ 12 U.S.C. 3403(b) ] shall not apply to requests by the Commissioner of Social Security pursuant to an authorization provided under this clause. (cc) A request by the Commissioner pursuant to an authorization provided under this clause is deemed to meet the requirements of section 1104(a)(3) of the Right to Financial Privacy Act [ 12 U.S.C. 3404(a)(3) ] and the flush language of section 1102 of such Act [ 12 U.S.C. 3402 ]. (IV) The Commissioner shall inform any person who provides authorization pursuant to this clause of the duration and scope of the authorization. (V) If an applicant for, or recipient of, benefits under this subchapter (or any such other person referred to in subclause (I)) refuses to provide, or revokes, any authorization made by the applicant or recipient for the Commissioner of Social Security to obtain from any financial institution any financial record, the Commissioner may, on that basis, determine that the applicant or recipient is ineligible for benefits under this subchapter, determine that adjustment or recovery on account of an overpayment with respect to the applicant or recipient would not defeat the purpose of this subchapter, or both. (iii) (I) The Commissioner of Social Security may require each applicant for, or recipient of, benefits under this subchapter to provide authorization by the applicant, recipient or legal guardian (or by any other person whose income or resources are material to the determination of the eligibility of the applicant or recipient for such benefits) for the Commissioner to obtain from any payroll data provider (as defined in section 1320e–3(c)(1) of this title ) any record held by the payroll data provider with respect to the applicant or recipient (or any such other person) whenever the Commissioner determines the record is needed in connection with a determination of initial or ongoing eligibility or the amount of such benefits. (II) An authorization provided by an applicant, recipient or legal guardian (or any other person whose income or resources are material to the determination of the eligibility of the applicant or recipient) under this clause shall remain effective until the earliest of— (aa) the rendering of a final adverse decision on the applicant’s application for eligibility for benefits under this subchapter; (bb) the cessation of the recipient’s eligibility for benefits under this subchapter; (cc) the express revocation by the applicant, or recipient (or such other person referred to in subclause (I)) of the authorization, in a written notification to the Commissioner; or (dd) the termination of the basis upon which the Commissioner considers another person’s income and resources available to the applicant or recipient. (III) The Commissioner of Social Security is not required to furnish any authorization obtained pursuant to this clause to the payroll data provider. (IV) The Commissioner shall inform any person who provides authorization pursuant to this clause of the duration and scope of the authorization. (V) If an applicant for, or recipient of, benefits under this subchapter (or any such other person referred to in subclause (I)) refuses to provide, or revokes, any authorization required by subclause (I), paragraph (2)(B) and paragraph (10) shall not apply to such applicant or recipient beginning with the first day of the first month in which he or she refuses or revokes such authorization.

(C) For purposes of making determinations under section 1382(e) of this title , the requirements prescribed by the Commissioner of Social Security pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall require each administrator of a nursing home, extended care facility, or intermediate care facility, within 2 weeks after the admission of any eligible individual or eligible spouse receiving benefits under this subchapter, to transmit to the Commissioner a report of the admission.

(A) In the case of the failure by any individual to submit a report of events and changes in circumstances relevant to eligibility for or amount of benefits under this subchapter as required by the Commissioner of Social Security under paragraph (1), or delay by any individual in submitting a report as so required, the Commissioner of Social Security (in addition to taking any other action the Commissioner may consider appropriate under paragraph (1)) shall reduce any benefits which may subsequently become payable to such individual under this subchapter by— (i) $25 in the case of the first such failure or delay, (ii) $50 in the case of the second such failure or delay, and (iii) $100 in the case of the third or a subsequent such failure or delay, except where the individual was without fault or good cause for such failure or delay existed.

(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the Commissioner of Social Security shall find that good cause exists for the failure of, or delay by, an individual in submitting a report of an event or change in circumstances relevant to eligibility for or amount of benefits under this subchapter in any case where— (i) the individual (or another person referred to in paragraph (1)(B)(iii)(I)) has provided authorization to the Commissioner to access payroll data records related to the individual; and (ii) the event or change in circumstance is a change in the individual’s employer.

A translation into English by a third party of a statement made in a foreign language by an applicant for or recipient of benefits under this subchapter shall not be regarded as reliable for any purpose under this subchapter unless the third party, under penalty of perjury—

(A) certifies that the translation is accurate; and

(B) discloses the nature and scope of the relationship between the third party and the applicant or recipient, as the case may be.

In any case in which it is determined to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Social Security that an individual failed as of any date to apply for benefits under this subchapter by reason of misinformation provided to such individual by any officer or employee of the Social Security Administration relating to such individual’s eligibility for benefits under this subchapter, such individual shall be deemed to have applied for such benefits on the later of—

(A) the date on which such misinformation was provided to such individual, or

(B) the date on which such individual met all requirements for entitlement to such benefits (other than application therefor).

In any case in which an individual visits a field office of the Social Security Administration and represents during the visit to an officer or employee of the Social Security Administration in the office that the individual’s visit is occasioned by—

(A) the receipt of a notice from the Social Security Administration indicating a time limit for response by the individual, or

(B) the theft, loss, or nonreceipt of a benefit payment under this subchapter,

the Commissioner of Social Security shall ensure that the individual is granted a face-to-face interview at the office with an officer or employee of the Social Security Administration before the close of business on the day of the visit.

(A) (i) The Commissioner of Social Security shall immediately redetermine the eligibility of an individual for benefits under this subchapter if there is reason to believe that fraud or similar fault was involved in the application of the individual for such benefits, unless a United States attorney, or equivalent State prosecutor, with jurisdiction over potential or actual related criminal cases, certifies, in writing, that there is a substantial risk that such action by the Commissioner of Social Security with regard to recipients in a particular investigation would jeopardize the criminal prosecution of a person involved in a suspected fraud. (ii) When redetermining the eligibility, or making an initial determination of eligibility, of an individual for benefits under this subchapter, the Commissioner of Social Security shall disregard any evidence if there is reason to believe that fraud or similar fault was involved in the providing of such evidence.

(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), similar fault is involved with respect to a determination if— (i) an incorrect or incomplete statement that is material to the determination is knowingly made; or (ii) information that is material to the determination is knowingly concealed.

(C) If, after redetermining the eligibility of an individual for benefits under this subchapter, the Commissioner of Social Security determines that there is insufficient evidence to support such eligibility, the Commissioner of Social Security may terminate such eligibility and may treat benefits paid on the basis of such insufficient evidence as overpayments.

(A) The Commissioner of Social Security shall request the Immigration and Naturalization Service or the Centers for Disease Control to provide the Commissioner of Social Security with whatever medical information, identification information, and employment history either such entity has with respect to any alien who has applied for benefits under this subchapter to the extent that the information is relevant to any determination relating to eligibility for such benefits under this subchapter.

(B) Subparagraph (A) shall not be construed to prevent the Commissioner of Social Security from adjudicating the case before receiving such information.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commissioner shall, at least 4 times annually and upon request of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (hereafter in this paragraph referred to as the “Service”), furnish the Service with the name and address of, and other identifying information on, any individual who the Commissioner knows is not lawfully present in the United States, and shall ensure that each agreement entered into under section 1382e(a) of this title with a State provides that the State shall furnish such information at such times with respect to any individual who the State knows is not lawfully present in the United States.

An individual who has authorized the Commissioner of Social Security to obtain records from a payroll data provider under paragraph (1)(B)(iii) (or on whose behalf another person described in subclause (I) of such paragraph has provided such authorization) shall not be subject to a penalty under section 1320a–8a of this title for any omission or error with respect to such individual’s wages as reported by the payroll data provider.