Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
Sponsored By: Senator John Kennedy
Became Law
Summary
This law tightens data-sharing between the Social Security Administration and the federal Do Not Pay system to prevent improper payments to deceased people. It also raises the evidence needed before SSA can record a death, formalizes how state death data costs are shared, and requires error notifications between agencies.
Show full summary
- Families and beneficiaries: SSA must have "clear and convincing" evidence before recording a death, giving stronger protection against incorrect death records and benefit disruptions.
- Social Security and Do Not Pay operations: Agencies must enter cooperative agreements that specify data-transfer methods and periodic reviews to use state death data for preventing improper payments and supporting recoveries. Agreements also require notifying partners when someone is wrongly identified as deceased.
- States and data providers: The law requires the agreement to allocate each party's proportional share of state death data costs and to periodically review that cost-sharing method.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Better death record checks at Social Security
Beginning December 27, 2026, Social Security shares death records with the Do Not Pay system to stop improper payments. The two agencies must sign an agreement that splits state death data costs and is reviewed over time. If someone is wrongly marked as dead, Social Security notifies all partner agencies to correct the error. The agency cannot mark a person as dead for these records unless there is clear and convincing evidence.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
John Kennedy
LA • R
Cosponsors
Gary Peters
MI • D
Sponsored 1/28/2025
Mark Warner
VA • D
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Joni Ernst
IA • R
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Maggie Hassan
NH • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Ashley Moody
FL • R
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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