The Social Security Administration on Thursday announced what it deemed substantial progress in resolving discrepancies involving beneficiary records, particularly those belonging to individuals aged 100 years and older.
The SSA stressed the importance of maintaining complete and accurate records, even for individuals who might not currently receive benefits.
The issue concerning records without recorded dates of death gained national attention following President Donald Trump’s remarks during his address to a joint session of Congress. Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, directly acknowledged the President’s emphasis, stating, “I thank President Trump for highlighting these inconsistencies during his speech last night to a joint session of Congress.”
He added, "We are steadfast in our commitment to root out fraud, waste, and abuse in our programs, and actively correcting the inconsistencies with missing dates of death."
Addressing these aged records falls in line with broader governmental priorities and the president’s goals to enhance accuracy and accountability across federal programs, the SSA said. Mr. Dudek explained that such inaccuracies primarily involve cases of individuals who, despite lacking documented dates of death, remain listed in agency records.
To manage these issues, the SSA said it employs long-established measures aimed at program integrity, specifically designed to identify cases where age or incomplete death reports suggest an increased probability of inaccuracies. As part of these ongoing efforts, the SSA said it regularly receives reports from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), highlighting individuals who have not utilized Medicare Part A or Part B services for at least three consecutive years.
This information from CMS is crucial for SSA, as it helps prioritize cases involving individuals aged 90 years or older, who are currently listed as active beneficiaries residing within the United States. The administration said it initiates direct outreach efforts by conducting interviews to verify the individual's living status and continued eligibility to receive benefits. In instances where an individual is confirmed deceased, the SSA said it immediately ceases benefit payments and promptly forwards any suspicion of fraudulent activity to the agency's Office of the Inspector General for further investigation.
