The U.S. government has successfully retrieved more than $31 million in Social Security payments that were mistakenly sent to deceased individuals. This recovery effort, conducted over a five-month pilot program, is just the beginning of what officials believe could be a much larger issue.
Congress granted the Department of Treasury temporary access to the Social Security Administration's 'Full Death Master File' for a three-year period, starting in 2021. This file, maintained by the SSA, contains a comprehensive database of over 142 million records dating back to 1899.
The Treasury anticipates that it will reclaim a total of over $215 million during the three-year access period, which extends until 2026. Fiscal Assistant Secretary David Lebryk emphasized that these initial results are just scratching the surface and called on Congress to provide full access to the master file to enhance fraud prevention, program integrity, and taxpayer protection.
This initiative aligns with efforts to combat fraud, waste, and abuse within the government, a key focus of former President Donald Trump's administration. As part of his 'Save America' agenda, President Trump has appointed business leaders Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a task force aimed at streamlining federal operations by reducing workforce, cutting programs, and eliminating regulations.
While the Trump transition team did not immediately respond to inquiries about the continuity of these efforts under the incoming administration, the success of the Treasury's pilot program underscores the importance of ongoing vigilance in safeguarding public funds and ensuring the integrity of government programs.
