President Signs Law Mandating SSA Death Data Sharing to Prevent Improper Government Payments

$162 billion in improper payments were made by the federal government in FY 2024, down from $236 billion in FY 2023

A Treasury pilot using SSA death data prevented or recovered $31 million in payments to deceased individuals in just five months

State death report discrepancies led to $327 million in SSA improper payments, with another $108 million at risk

CBO scored two predecessor bills to S. 269 and found each would reduce federal spending by "an insignificant amount"

SSA estimates roughly 12,000 living people are incorrectly marked as dead in its records each year; S. 269 adds a "clear and convincing evidence" standard before a death can be recorded