PILOT STUDY OF EFFICACY OF PROVIDING INDIVIDUALIZED INFORMATION TO RECIPIENTS OF OLD-AGE AND SURVIVORS INSURANCE BENEFITS.

SEC. 106. PILOT STUDY OF EFFICACY OF PROVIDING INDIVIDUALIZED INFORMATION TO RECIPIENTS OF OLD-AGE AND SURVIVORS INSURANCE BENEFITS. (a) In General.— During a 2-year period beginning as soon as practicable in 1996, the Commissioner of Social Security shall conduct a pilot study of the efficacy of providing certain individualized information to recipients of monthly insurance benefits under section 202 of the Social Security Act, designed to promote better understanding of their contributions and benefits under the social security system. The study shall involve solely beneficiaries whose entitlement to such benefits first occurred in or after 1984 and who have remained entitled to such benefits for a continuous period of not less than 5 years. The number of such recipients involved in the study shall be of sufficient size to generate a statistically 110 STAT. 856valid sample for purposes of the study, but shall not exceed 600,000 beneficiaries. (b) Annualized Statements.— During the course of the study, the Commissioner shall provide to each of the beneficiaries involved in the study one annualized statement, setting forth the following information: (1) an estimate of the aggregate wages and self-employment income earned by the individual on whose wages and self-employment income the benefit is based, as shown on the records of the Commissioner as of the end of the last calendar year ending prior to the beneficiary’s first month of entitlement; (2) an estimate of the aggregate of the employee and self-employment contributions, and the aggregate of the employer contributions (separately identified), made with respect to the wages and self-employment income on which the benefit is based, as shown on the records of the Commissioner as of the end of the calendar year preceding the beneficiary’s first month of entitlement; and (3) an estimate of the total amount paid as benefits under section 202 of the Social Security Act cased on such wages and self-employment income, as shown on the records of the Commissioner as of the end of the last calendar year preceding the issuance of the statement for which complete information is available. (c) Inclusion With Matter Otherwise Distributed to Beneficiaries.— The Commissioner shall ensure that reports provided pursuant to this section are, to the maximum extent practicable, included with other reports currently provided to beneficiaries on an annual basis. (d) Report to the Congress.— The Commissioner shall report to each House of the Congress regarding the results of the pilot study conducted pursuant to this section not later than 60 days after the completion of such study.