U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, who co-sponsored the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act, said the bipartisan legislation is now law. The measure will save hard-earned taxpayer money by curbing erroneous payments to individuals who have passed away.
“I’m thrilled to see this bipartisan, commonsense bill become law. As working families struggle to afford the cost of living, those of us elected to represent them should be doing everything in our power to save taxpayer dollars and protect government resources from fraud and abuse. I will continue working to improve efficiency and ensure that our government is working for all Americans,” said Warner, D-Alexandria.
The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act permanently amends the Social Security Act to allow the Social Security Administration to share the Death Master File – a record of deceased individuals – with the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay system. The change will help agencies better identify and stop improper payments before they go out. The law also authorizes the Treasury to compare SSA death data with information held by other federal entities and share relevant matches with any paying or administering agency authorized to use the Do Not Pay system.
