Bill Overview
Title: Social Security Payment Integrity and Information Act of 2022
Description: This bill expands, for purposes of limiting improper federal payments, the Department of the Treasury's access to certain death records maintained by the Social Security Administration.
Sponsors: Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]
Target Audience
Population: People whose estates receive social security benefits or social security recipients
Estimated Size: 70000000
- The bill affects the verification process of death records used by the Treasury.
- The primary beneficiaries are federal agencies working to manage and limit improper payments.
- This could affect the accuracy of social security payments by considering death records more effectively.
- Any individual receiving social security or associated with an estate getting benefits may be impacted.
- It may minimally affect all individuals whose estates are mismanaged or improperly receiving benefits.
Reasoning
- The policy limits improper social security payments by ensuring accurate death records, aiming to prevent benefits from going to deceased individuals. This policy will have a more pronounced impact on those directly receiving social security payments or managing estates since it helps rectify any discrepancies with current death records.
- Given the budget constraint of $30,000,000 in year 1, this policy will most directly target technological improvements and verification processes within the treasury departments, impacting a fraction of the total population initially.
- The estimated affected population in the US is approximately 70,000,000 people, focused on recipients of Social Security benefits and those managing estates. However, only a small percentage will see direct changes in their payment integrity, impacting their wellbeing scores minimally but significantly over time. Areas with known historical social security mispayments might observe more substantial impacts.
- The collection and management of death records aim at a strategic intervention, but widespread change in wellbeing might only be noticeable for those who have had improper payments adjusted significantly.
Simulated Interviews
Retired teacher (Florida)
Age: 68 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think ensuring proper payments is important. I wouldn’t want any errors in what I receive monthly.
- If this helps prevent fund mismanagement for us seniors, it's probably worth the effort.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Accountant (Texas)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Proper verification is crucial. Accounting for correct payments ensures fewer headaches.
- I support this if it means safeguarding funds meant for rightful recipients.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Software Engineer (California)
Age: 36 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I’m not directly impacted, so my daily life continues unchanged.
- I can see how it would be important for guardians managing funds.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Retired factory worker (Ohio)
Age: 82 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's comforting knowing there might be stricter controls on payments.
- I've known friends who dealt with errors before, so this might help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired nurse (New York)
Age: 70 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Anything that secures our benefits is crucial.
- I just hope it’s implemented smoothly without disrupting our current benefits.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Estate planner (Illinois)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Accurate records are a professional focus, so this policy aligns with my work's vision.
- It's about responsibility and ensuring the right people are paid.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Homemaker (Colorado)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This doesn't impact me directly—it's more significant for those engaged with these systems.
- Important for ensuring good governance, though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired engineer (Pennsylvania)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Verification seems sensible; errors can be stressful.
- Hoping for minimal hassles during implementation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Bank Manager (Georgia)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Ensuring correct payments post-death can prevent legal issues down the line.
- In this case, accuracy equals peace of mind.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired postal worker (Michigan)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Verification is important, but ensure it's quick and efficient.
- I have seen peers struggle due to payment issues, which is frustrating.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Year 2: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $35000000)
Year 3: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $30000000)
Year 5: $15000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $25000000)
Year 10: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $20000000)
Year 100: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $1500000)
Key Considerations
- Implementation costs for integrating SSA death records with Treasury systems.
- Privacy concerns related to access and use of death records.
- Efficiency improvements in benefit disbursement systems.
- Magnitude and speed of reduction in improper payments.