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GN 02607.520: PUPS Skeleton Records

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  • Effective Dates: 04/14/2015 - Present
  • Effective Dates: 04/06/2018 - Present
  • TN 5 (11-02)
  • GN 02607.520 PUPS Skeleton Records
  • A. Procedure - PUPS skeleton records
  • 1. PUPS creation of a skeleton record
  • PUPS screens and compares incoming inmate records against the SSR and MBR data to locate current entitlement/eligibility. PUPS creates a "skeleton record" when there is no active entitlement/eligibility for the SSN on the MBR or SSR. The PUPS skeleton record has no "STATUS" code on the PUST screen. PUPS creates only one skeleton record for an SSN, even though SSA may receive numerous reports of this same inmate information from a reporter. (After PUPS creates one skeleton record for the SSN for the latest period of confinement, no further skeleton records for other periods of confinement are annotated to the PUPS database.) The skeleton record remains inactive. If a beneficiary/recipient files for title II or title XVI benefits after PUPS creates the skeleton record, an alert appears on the MBR/SSR. This alert notifies the SSA technician to investigate the PUPS skeleton record before paying the claim. (The alert appears on the MBR/SSR whether or not the beneficiary files for social security benefits.)The alert should also serve as a reminder that the SSA technician should inquire about any other periods of confinement that may have occurred before the initial date of entitlement/eligibility.
  • You can query and update skeleton records. Since there is no pending action for a skeleton record, the only possible entry in the SELECT TYPE OF ACTION field is "6" for CHANGE INFORMATION ONLY. By selecting "6" you can update the report with current data such as FID code, RELEASED DATE, and REMARKS. See MSOM PRISON 003.001-14 for a description of a skeleton record.
  • NOTE: Review the skeleton record, and develop the period of confinement, if necessary, before processing an initial claim or an appeal.
  • 2. Instances where PUPS will not create a skeleton record
  • Beginning in 11/02, PUPS will not create a skeleton record when the SSN verifies but no active entitlement/eligibility exists and:
  • * a previous title XVI recipient's inmate record reflects a total period of confinement that is less than one full calendar month,
  • * a previous title II beneficiary's inmate record reflects a total period of confinement of 30 days or less,
  • * a previous concurrent (both title II and title XVI) beneficiary's inmate record reflects a total period of confinement of 30 days or less and less than one full calendar month; or,
  • * SSA receives an inmate record and the inmate is not eligible or entitled to either title XVI or title II benefits and the record has a date of confinement and a date of release that reflects a period of confinement that is less than a full calendar month.
  • NOTE: See GN 02607.500C. for instances where PUPS will not create a PUPS PENDING record.
  • B. Process – semi-annual reruns of PUPS skeleton records
  • 1. Semi-annual rerun of skeleton records
  • a. Creation of PUPS pending record
  • Semi-annually, the Office of Systems runs a system scan of all skeleton records present on the PUPS database. The semi-annual runs identify new entitlements adjudicated after SSA received the inmate report. When the semi-annual run locates active title II/title XVI entitlement for the month of confinement or earlier on the PUPS skeleton, PUPS overwrites the skeleton record with a PENDING PUPS record and produces a PUPS alert. (See GN 02607.520A.2. for instances where PUPS will not create a PUPS skeleton record. See GN 02607.500C. for instances where PUPS will not create a PUPS PENDING record.)
  • These alerts look like routine PUPS alerts. Process the alerts as indicated in the instructions in GN 02607.600. CO will notify the field via an emergency message when SSA will process each semi-annual review of the skeleton records. The most frequent missing inmate data elements from the PUPS skeleton records that become PUPS pending records are:
  • * Blank receipt date,
  • * Blank report date and blank receipt date,
  • * Blank date of confinement,
  • * Blank date of conviction,
  • * Blank released date, and
  • * Blank facility identification code (FID).
  • See MSOM PRISON 003.001-14 for a description of skeleton records and how they are processed.
  • NOTE: The Prisoner Tracking Management Information System for Workload Management (PTMI) listings identifies skeleton record alerts with an entry of SR under Type of Record. The URL for this system is http://co.ba.ssa.gov/emis . Access to the PTMI site is limited to SSA management personnel.
  • b. Instances where PUPS will not create a PUPS PENDING record
  • See GN 02607.500C. for instances where PUPS will not create a PENDING record when the semi-annual skeleton rerun is done.
  • NOTE: If you develop a period of confinement indicated on the PUPS skeleton record at the time the claimant files for social security benefits, add the information from your development to the REMARKS section of the PUPS skeleton record. Also annotate other pertinent inmate data that you discovered during your development; e.g., facility identification code, released date, conviction date, etc., on the PUPS skeleton record for the period of confinement. See MSOM PRISON 003.001-14 for instructions on updating PUPS skeleton records.
  • 2. FO processing PUPS skeleton records
  • Since skeleton records may have missing inmate information, FOs should tactfully approach beneficiaries/representative payees to obtain missing inmate information for these types of PUPS reports.
  • NOTE:: PUPS will only retain one skeleton record for each claimant. The claimant may have had other periods of confinement before his eligibility/entitlement to social security benefits began that were not annotated to the PUPS database. Develop for all other possible periods of confinement for the claimant when developing for the period of confinement on the skeleton record.
  • 3. Developing for inmate identity discrepancies or missing inmate confinement date on skeleton rerun alerts
  • Develop for identity discrepancies and missing confinement dates following instructions in GN 02607.600.
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