Shifting Death Data Collection from Social Security to Treasury Could Stop Payments to the Deceased
May 14, 2020
Washington, DC – Today, amid reports that economic impact payments have been made to deceased people, the Board reiterates its bipartisan recommendation for Congress to transfer responsibility for the collection of death data from the Social Security Administration (SSA) to the Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”).
Since 2012, Treasury has held responsibility for the Do Not Pay (DNP) portal, an online system dedicated to preventing and detecting improper federal payments in real time across the federal government. The DNP portal exists to do the program integrity work currently undertaken by SSA.
Board Chair, Kim Hildred, said:
“Erroneous payments to those who are deceased cause undue burdens for families who already face unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19. We urge Congress to consider the Board’s recommendation to shift death data collection to Treasury’s Do not Pay portal to better avoid improper payments, strengthen the integrity of death data, and avoid duplicative efforts.”
The Board’s mission is to provide the President, Congress, and the Commissioner of Social Security advice and guidance with respect to matters of policy and administration of the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs.