Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
Sponsored By: Senator Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Became Law
Summary
Prevents improper federal payments to people who have died by sharing Social Security death data with the federal Do Not Pay system. It also requires cost-sharing with states for death data and adds a strict "clear and convincing evidence" rule before SSA marks someone as deceased.
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- Families and beneficiaries: Helps stop benefits from being paid to deceased individuals and supports recovery of payments that were wrongly made.
- People incorrectly flagged as dead: SSA may not record a death in the shared dataset unless there is clear and convincing evidence, and agencies with cooperative arrangements must be notified if an error occurs.
- State and local data providers: Requires SSA and the Do Not Pay agency to agree on a methodology that covers each party's share of state death data costs, with periodic review.
- Federal agencies and the Do Not Pay system: SSA must, to the extent feasible, provide death information to the Do Not Pay system so agencies can prevent and recover improper payments.
- Effective date: The law takes effect on December 27, 2026.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Social Security needs clear proof to mark deaths
Beginning December 27, 2026, the Social Security Administration must have clear and convincing proof before it records a death in data it shares. This protects people from being wrongly marked dead. It helps prevent wrongful stops to Social Security or Medicare payments.
Agencies use Social Security death data
Beginning December 27, 2026, the Social Security Administration shares death data with the federal Do Not Pay system, as feasible. The data is only used to stop and recover improper payments. SSA and the Do Not Pay agency must agree how to split state death data costs. If someone is wrongly listed as dead, SSA must tell all partner agencies so they can fix it.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kennedy, John [R-LA]
LA • R
Cosponsors
Gary Peters
MI • D
Sponsored 1/28/2025
Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov