• The U.S. Treasury has successfully recovered over $31 million in improper Social Security payments made to deceased individuals.
• Access to the Social Security Administration’s Full Death Master File has been crucial in identifying and preventing these payments.
• The Treasury anticipates recovering more than $215 million over the three-year access period granted by Congress.
• Officials advocate for permanent access to enhance program integrity and safeguard taxpayer dollars.
• Former President Trump emphasized fraud prevention as part of his campaign promises.

In a significant effort to enhance program integrity and reduce fraud, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has recovered more than $31 million in improper Social Security payments made to deceased individuals since it gained access to the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) records. According to Treasury’s Fiscal Assistant Secretary David Lebryk, "These results are just the tip of the iceberg," highlighting the potential for similar future recoveries. This initiative arose from a provision in the omnibus appropriations bill passed by Congress in 2021. This law permits the Treasury temporary access to the SSA’s Full Death Master File for three years, starting from December 2023 through 2026.

The Full Death Master File is an extensive federal database maintained by the SSA that contains over 142 million records of deceased individuals dating back to 1899. The Treasury estimates that it could ultimately recover more than $215 million during its access period, underscoring the substantial financial implications of this initiative. In Lebryk's statement, he emphasized that permanent access “will significantly reduce fraud, improve program integrity, and better safeguard taxpayer dollars.”

Notably, the recovery effort aligns with one of former President Trump’s campaign promises to tackle issues of fraud, waste, and abuse within government programs. However, with the incoming administration, it remains uncertain whether these efforts will continue or if the temporary access granted to the Treasury will be extended to become a permanent feature.

For more details, refer to the articles from AP News and HuffPost.