Section 431.300 - Basis and purpose(a) Section 1902(a)(7) of the Act requires that a State plan must provide safeguards that restrict the use or disclosure of information concerning applicants and beneficiaries to purposes directly connected with the administration of the plan. This subpart specifies State plan requirements, the types of information to be safeguarded, the conditions for release of safeguarded information, and restrictions on the distribution of other information.(b) For purposes of this subpart, information concerning an applicant or beneficiary includes information on a non-applicant, as defined in § 435.4 of this subchapter.(c) Section 1137 of the Act, which requires agencies to exchange information to verify the income and eligibility of applicants and beneficiaries (see § 435.940 through § 435.965 of this subchapter), requires State agencies to have adequate safeguards to assure that- (1) Information exchanged by the State agencies is made available only to the extent necessary to assist in the valid administrative needs of the program receiving the information, and information received under section 6103(l)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code is exchanged only with agencies authorized to receive that information under that section of the Code; and(2) The information is adequately stored and processed so that it is protected against unauthorized disclosure for other purposes.(d) Section 1943 of the Act and section 1413 of the Affordable Care Act.51 FR 7210, Feb. 28, 1986, as amended at 77 FR 17203 , Mar. 23, 2012