WASHINGTON — Here’s an idea, Uncle Sam: Stop writing checks to dead people.
The government sent benefit checks to 20,000 departed Americans over three years, totaling more than $180 million — a remarkable number that provoked the Obama administration to create a government-wide “do not pay” list as part of its brainstorming for ways to save taxpayer money.
Once the database is up and running, agencies will have to search it before sending out payments. A pre-check check, so to speak.
“We’re making sure that payments no longer go to the deceased — it sounds ridiculous even to say it,” said Vice President Joe Biden.
Also planned for inclusion: contractors who have fallen behind in their payments or, even worse, landed in jail, and companies that have been suspended or otherwise deemed ineligible for government work.
The Social Security Administration already has what it calls a “Death Master File.” But some other agencies don’t routinely check it before issuing benefits. The Associated Press
