Social Security blames VA for millions in improper payments to dead veterans
October 10, 2017
A report from the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) inspector general revealed that more than $37 million in erroneous payments were issued to deceased veterans.
Hundreds of veterans have continued to receive SSA benefits despite being dead for years. The audit found over 3,900 cases in which beneficiaries were still getting regular payments despite being listed as deceased in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) records.
The report also found several other problems. There were a number of instances of identity fraud using veterans’ Social Security numbers. In addition, at least 11 percent of veterans were incorrectly listed as dead when they were in fact still alive. As a result, around 746 deceased individuals were thought to have received the incorrect payments.
The SSA blamed the VA for failing to provide accurate information. Both agencies exchange data monthly to determine if and when benefit payments should be terminated.
The VA told The Washington Times that most of the records it provided to the SSA last year were correct. However, the agency said it would work to implement improvements that ensure they are “providing the most complete and up-to-date information possible.”
The inspector general recommended that the VA and SSA further review their databases to determine the status of veterans that may be dead and ensure their data exchanges were consistent. The agencies were told to “terminate their payments where appropriate, and refer potential instances of suspected fraud to the Office of Investigations” in order to solve the issue. The report warned that if the VA failed to update its death records, the SSA could be issuing around $7.3 million in improper payments over the next year.