HB2716, titled the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act, would amend section 205(r) of the Social Security Act to improve the sharing of state death data with the federal Do Not Pay working system. The bill directs the Commissioner of Social Security, to the extent feasible, to provide death information received by SSA to the Do Not Pay system so that federal and state agencies can use it to prevent improper payments and recover funds that were paid in error. It also requires SSA and the Do Not Pay system operator to establish an agreement covering the proportional share of state death data costs, with periodic review of that arrangement.
The bill also adds a safeguard intended to reduce erroneous death determinations. Under the amended language, SSA may not record a death for an individual in records that may be shared under this section unless it has clear and convincing evidence that the person should be presumed deceased. In addition, if SSA identifies an error involving an individual incorrectly marked as deceased, it must notify any agency that has a cooperative arrangement with SSA under the relevant Social Security Act provisions. The bill’s effective date is December 27, 2026.
Impact
HB2716 would modify federal Social Security Act provisions governing death data reporting and interagency coordination, expanding the use of state death records in the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay working system. The practical effect would be to strengthen screening for improper payments across federal and state programs, especially payments made to deceased individuals, while also creating a formal notice requirement when death-record errors are discovered. It would affect the Social Security Administration, the agency operating the Do Not Pay system, and any federal or state agencies that rely on cooperative data-sharing arrangements under section 205(r).
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript, floor debate, or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of controversy or support levels from discussion. Based on the bill’s purpose and reported status, the measure appears to be framed as a program-integrity and anti-fraud bill, which typically draws support from lawmakers focused on reducing improper payments and improving administrative coordination. The reported amendment suggests the committee made some changes, but the context provided does not indicate opposition or a divided vote.
Contention
The main policy tension in HB2716 is between improving fraud prevention and avoiding inaccurate death reporting. Supporters are likely to favor broader data sharing to stop improper payments to deceased individuals and improve recovery efforts, while critics may be concerned about privacy, data-sharing burdens, administrative costs, and the risk that individuals could be wrongly marked as dead. The bill addresses that latter concern by requiring clear and convincing evidence before SSA records a death and by mandating notice to partner agencies when an error is found.