TN 4 (07-02)

A. Procedure – suspension of Title II benefits using PUPS

1. Advance notice

Send the beneficiary an advance notice to the address on the MBR. Give the beneficiary 30 days for protest of the suspension action. (See GN 02607.970 for more information on advance notices to send to the title II beneficiary. See GN 02607.972 for the exhibit notices to send in advance notification situations.)

2. PUPS coding

If suspension is appropriate, input the suspension through PUPS per GN 02607.700 – GN 02607.750.

Coding on PUPS Record for Suspension of title II benefits:

Annotate the PU02 screen in PUPS. Select DUE PROCESS TYPE Number “2, 30-day due process notice.”

B. Procedure – beneficiary protests suspension

1. Suspension action contested

When the prisoner beneficiary/inmate disputes a report of confinement from 3BOP, process the contested suspension action per GN 02607.760 except as noted below:

NOTE: Do not contact the Federal Bureau of Prisons to verify information about the inmate or his or her identity for contested suspension cases. Use other third party sources for obtaining inmate information for 3BOP cases. See GN 02607.790D.2. for alternative sources of information for resolving 3BOP case discrepancies.

2. Alternative sources for retrieving inmate information for 3BOP PUPS records

Contact the Federal courts, Federal prosecuting attorney's office, or the U.S. Marshal's Service, Department of Justice, to request assistance in verifying the identity of the individual and the date of confinement or release, for contested suspension cases. See GN 02607.790D.2. for other third-party sources that may be contacted.

C. Procedure – SSA beneficiary is not the inmate identified by BOP

If a suspension action is taken that is later found to be incorrect, take the actions indicated GN 02607.760. Process the incorrect suspension action per MSOM PRISON 003.006.

D. Procedure – FO processing of reinstatements of Title II benefits for 3BOP PUPS records

If a beneficiary has been released from a Federal facility, assume that he or she will contact SSA regarding the resumption of his or her benefits. At that time, ask the beneficiary to provide the necessary verification regarding his or her release date (including the discharge documents from the Federal Bureau of Prisons).

1. Reinstatement of benefits for 3BOP inmates — proof of release provided

a. Verifying identity of released inmate/beneficiary

Check to be sure that the individual requesting reinstatement of benefits is the SSA beneficiary we previously suspended because of incarceration at a BOP correctional facility. (Ask the individual to provide other forms of identification that can validate his or her identity; e.g., driver's license, work identification card, passport, voter's registration card, etc.) If the individual does not have any valid documents to corroborate his or her identity, ask the individual about information that SSA has in its records that will help establish the individual's identity.

For example, you can use information from the NUMIDENT and ask the individual the following questions:

• What is your mother's maiden name?

• Father's first name?

• What is your place of birth and year of birth?

Once you have verified the released inmate's identity, continue verifying the proof of release as indicated in GN 02607.794D.1.b.

b. Evidence of release from BOP custody

A beneficiary must provide SSA with official BOP discharge papers or SSA must be able to verify proof of the beneficiary's release from BOP custody in order for SSA to consider the inmate released. BOP states that they provide release documents to all individuals when they are released from BOP custody. If the beneficiary cannot locate his or her release documents and the beneficiary needs assistance in obtaining proof of his or her release from a BOP correctional facility, use the instructions in GN 02607.794D.1.c. for verifying proof of release. See GN 02607.794D.1.d. for documenting the PUPS record after verifying the evidence of release from a BOP correctional institution. See GN 02607.794D.2. for instructions on obtaining the release documents if no other corroborating proof of release is available.

c. Verifying proof of release from a BOP facility

BOP now provides an Internet site (http://www.bop.gov/) that contains released inmate information. SSA can use this Internet site to verify official BOP released inmate documents for accuracy and completeness, if the BOP documents are missing information or need additional clarification. Also, if the beneficiary's official BOP release papers are not available, you may use information found on the BOP Internet site to represent proof of an inmate's release from a BOP correctional facility.

• Ask the beneficiary at what BOP facility was he or she was last incarcerated and the approximate date of his or her release from BOP custody.

• Compare this information with the PUPS record to see if the beneficiary's report of his or her last incarceration at a BOP facility matches SSA's PUPS record. Use the information on the PUPS record (Inmate Identification Code) to query the BOP Inmate Locator Directory.

• Using the BOP Inmate Locator Internet site:

  • Use the Internet and locate BOP's Internet site at http://www.bop.gov/. You will use this site to locate and verify the released date information for an inmate.

  • Select "Inmate Locator" from the BOP main page.

  • On the “Search Our Inmate Database” page, "Search by Identification Number" heading, you will then continue your search by using:

    Number Type: Register Number Number: XXXXX-XXX ( This will be the first eight digits of the ID number from the PUPS record)

  • Type the inmate ID number off the PUPS record in the “Number” field. (Type in the first 5 digits of the number from the PUPS ID field then add a "-" and then type in the last 3 digits from the ID field on the PUPS Record. This is the SSN that BOP used to report the inmate to SSA and the number they use in the BOP inmate system to locate the inmate.)

    Example: ID number on PUPS record: 9999999900 Number on BOP Number field: 99999-999.

    The search of the directory will provide a response similar to the following:

    Search Results for JANE DOE:

    Inmate Register Number: 99999-999

    Name: JANE DOE

    Age: 40

    Race: WHITE

    Sex: FEMALE

    Date Released: 3/31/2001

    After verifying the released date information from the BOP Internet site, document the PUPS records with your evidence review per GN 02607.794D.1.d.

    NOTE (1) If the beneficiary cannot provide a copy of his or her official release papers from BOP, you can use the released date information from the BOP Internet site as proof of the inmate's release from BOP custody. Document the PUPS record with the released inmate information as indicated in GN 02607.794D.1.d.

    NOTE (2) Do not use the BOP Internet site for any purpose other than obtaining released date information for a beneficiary or for obtaining information on filing FOIA requests with BOP. Using this website to access inmate information for any other reason than specifically stipulated in this procedure will violate SSA's matching agreement with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

d. Documenting the PUPS record with released date information:

After reviewing and verifying the official BOP released documents for the inmate or reviewing the released inmate information from the BOP Internet site, you must add information to the PUPS record to document your evidentiary review.

Documenting the PUPS record:

• Add a released date to the PUPS record to reflect the date the inmate was released from BOP's custody. See GN 02607.840A.2. for the effective date for reinstating benefits.)

• Add a remark to the PUPS record to indicate that you have verified the released date information and indicate where you got the released date information. Also add the date you obtained the information and your name.

See GN 02607.840 for additional instructions on reinstating benefits to title II beneficiaries.

NOTE: Do not forward a copy of the official BOP released document or a copy of the BOP released inmate information from the BOP Internet site to the PC/OCO-ODO for the folder. Documenting the PUPS record with the appropriate remarks and adding the released date to the PUPS record will serve as evidentiary proof of release.

2. Beneficiary cannot provide proof of release from a BOP correctional facility or proof of release is not on BOP website

If the beneficiary cannot provide proof of his or her official release from a BOP correctional facility andor the released inmate information is not available on the BOP Internet site, try to obtain verification of the beneficiary's release from other third party sources. See GN 02607.790D.2. for other third party sources of contact for Bureau of Prisons inmate information. The beneficiary's parole officer, social worker, counselor, or attorney may provide the best information on the release of the inmate.

a. Documenting the third party contact's release information

• Obtain a signed statement by the third party source to confirm the beneficiary's release from the BOP correctional facility. Make sure the statement contains the name and address of the correctional facility that released the inmate, and the date and time of the release. Have the statement signed by the third party reporter. If the release information is taken over the phone by the SSA technician from the third party source, document the release on a report of contact and sign the statement. Make sure the statement contains the name, address, and telephone number of the third party source and the title of the third party source that provided the information to SSA.

• Forward the documentation to the PCOCO-ODO for the folder.

• Once you have verified the official release from BOP and the identity of the inmate, see GN 02607.860 for instructions on processing the reinstatement action through POSPUPS.

b. Third party cannot verify release of inmate

If the third party sources contacted cannot provide information on the beneficiary's release, have the beneficiary file an FOIA request for the release information from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. See GN 02607.790D.3. for information on obtaining FOIA requests from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Once you have verified the official release from BOP and the identity of the inmate, see GN 02607.860 for instructions on processing the reinstatement action through POS/PUPS.

NOTE: SSA employees should not directly contact any Federal Bureau of Prisons facility for release information for a title II beneficiary.

E. Procedure - PC/OCO-ODO processing of reinstatement actions for BOP inmates

1. Reinstatement of benefits for 3BOP inmates—proof of release provided

The Bureau of Prisons provides all inmates that it officially releases a letter/paper that provides the inmate with documentation of his or her release from a Bureau of Prisons correctional facility. The beneficiary should provide this document as his or her proof of release from a BOP correctional facility when contacting a SSA for reinstatement of his or her title II benefits.

a. Request for Reinstatement--processing official BOP release documents

Examine the document(s) carefully to be sure it is a valid BOP release document. Also check to be sure that the individual requesting reinstatement of benefits is the SSA beneficiary we previously suspended because of incarceration at a BOP correctional facility. Verify the released inmate information with the BOP website that contains information for its inmates. See GN 02607.794D.1.c. for instructions on using the BOP Inmate Locator Internet site to verify released inmate information.

b. Request for reinstatement--processing without BOP release documents

If the request for reinstatement of benefits did not have any official BOP released documents, use the BOP Internet site to try and verify the inmate's release from a BOP correctional facility.

See GN 02607.794D.1.c. for instructions on using the BOP Internet site as proof of release from a BOP correctional facility when official BOP release documents are not available.

2. Reinstatement of benefits for 3BOP inmates—release information not available

If you believe the release document is not valid; the released inmate information is not on the BOP Internet site; or you cannot verify the identity of the inmate, forward the request for reinstatement to the FO for development of the unresolved release or identity issues. Send the beneficiary's request for reinstatement and any accompanying documentation to the FO. Notify the FO to process the information per GN 02607.794D.