Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
Latest Action
Became Public Law No: 119-77.
Official Summary
Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act This act permanently allows the Department of the Treasury to access certain death records maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help prevent and recover improper payments (e.g., payments to deceased individuals). The act also establishes evidentiary requirements the SSA must meet before identifying an individual as deceased. Current law requires the SSA to share its Death Master File with the Do Not Pay system maintained by Treasury for three years. The act makes this requirement permanent. Treasury must enter into an agreement with the SSA related to Treasury's share of the cost of state death data. The act also prohibits the SSA from recording a death in the master file unless the SSA has clear and convincing evidence that the individual should be presumed deceased. If an individual is incorrectly identified as deceased and provides the SSA with supporting documentation, the SSA may notify certain agencies that have access to the master file, including Treasury and federal or state agencies that provide or disburse federally funded benefits.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act permanently authorizes the Department of the Treasury to access death records maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to prevent and recover improper payments, such as payments made to deceased individuals. The act requires the SSA to share its Death Master File with Treasury's Do Not Pay system indefinitely and establishes evidentiary standards that SSA must meet before recording an individual as deceased. It also mandates that if an individual is mistakenly identified as deceased, the SSA may notify relevant federal and state agencies to correct the error.
This law aims to reduce improper government payments by improving access to accurate death records and setting strict standards for declaring individuals deceased in federal databases.
- Permanently allows Treasury to access SSA death records to prevent improper payments.
- Requires SSA to provide clear and convincing evidence before recording a death in the master file.
- Mandates SSA to notify agencies if an individual is incorrectly identified as deceased.
- Treasury must enter into an agreement with SSA regarding cost-sharing for state death data.
- Current temporary sharing requirements of death data with Treasury's Do Not Pay system are made permanent.
['Department of the Treasury', 'Social Security Administration', 'Federal and state agencies that provide or disburse federally funded benefits', 'Taxpayers and government programs by potentially reducing improper payments']
['Implementation challenges in maintaining accurate and timely death records across agencies.', "Costs associated with Treasury's share of state death data and data sharing agreements.", "Ensuring the evidentiary standard of 'clear and convincing evidence' is consistently applied.", 'Potential administrative burden on SSA and other agencies to correct erroneous death records.']
The bill was introduced in the Senate during the 119th Congress and became Public Law No: 119-77 on February 10, 2026. It builds on existing law that temporarily required SSA to share death data with Treasury's Do Not Pay system, making this requirement permanent and adding procedural safeguards. The policy area is Social Welfare, focusing on reducing improper payments in federal benefit programs.
Hidden impact flags detected: 2
GovScope reviewed 2 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.
['Improved accuracy in death records may reduce fraud and improper payments in federal and state benefit programs.', 'Enhanced data sharing could lead to better interagency coordination on benefit eligibility verification.', 'Potential increased administrative costs or resource allocation to maintain data accuracy and handle corrections.']
Transparency around the evidentiary standards SSA uses to declare individuals deceased and the mechanisms for correcting errors is critical for oversight. Monitoring the cost-sharing agreements between Treasury and SSA for state death data and the impact on agency resources will be important to ensure effective implementation without undue burden.
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