A five-month, U.S. Department of the Treasury pilot program with the Social Security Administration’s Full Death Master File prevented or recovered more than $31 million in fraud and improper payments.
The Full Death Master File contains more than 142 million records of individuals who were reported dead, starting in 1899. Congress granted the Treasury temporary access to the file for three years, effective Dec. 27, 2023.
“These results are just the tip of the iceberg,” David Lebryk, fiscal assistant secretary, said. “Congress granting permanent access to the Full Death Master File will significantly reduce fraud, improve program integrity, and better safeguard taxpayer dollars.”
The integration of SSA’s death data resulted in a 139 percent increase in the total number of death matches. The integration also improved the timeliness and quality of data.
The Treasury’s estimates that, during the three-year access period, the project will provide more than $215 million in net benefits.
The pilot program also resulted in the increased use of the Do Not Pay Working System and measurable growth in new and/or expanded partnerships.
The Treasury’s Office of Payment Integrity provides federal agencies and federally-funded state-administered programs with access to tools and services that prevent fraud.