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The government finally did something smart. Congress and the President made permanent a simple tool that should have been used more widely long ago: the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay system can now keep using the Social Security Administration’s full Death Master File. It is a small fix with big promise — if the agencies actually use it and if Congress keeps pushing for accountability.
What changed: DNP gets the full Death Master File
The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act was signed into law on February 10, 2026, and it permanently lets Treasury’s Do Not Pay system access SSA’s full Death Master File. That matters because the full file includes state death records that the public lists miss. In a recent pilot, Do Not Pay found or stopped about $113.5 million in improper payments in one year and Treasury says DNP helped prevent, detect, and recover $11.7 billion in Fiscal Year 2025. That’s real money saved for taxpayers.
Why this should make conservatives cheer — and push harder
Conservatives have long said the government wastes and hands out cash without checking. Do Not Pay is the opposite of that “pay and chase” model everyone complains about. It checks records before the money goes out. Making SSA’s death data permanent for DNP is a commonsense step toward stopping fraud, waste, and abuse. But a law on paper is not the same as action on the ground. The next step is forcing agencies to use DNP before they send checks, not after they have to try to claw money back.
GAO flagged problems. Fix them and expand the program.
The Government Accountability Office found the pilot had clear benefits but also flagged a real issue: how SSA buys state death data and bills federal users needs better documentation and fairness. SSA agreed with GAO’s recommendations. Good — nobody wants undocumented fees or hidden costs eating into savings. Congress and Treasury should demand clear cost rules, faster onboarding for agencies, and stronger rules so a DNP flag actually stops a payment unless there is a good reason to proceed.
Let’s be blunt: an app that stops fraud sat on the shelf while billions were lost. That’s not just sloppy — it’s unacceptable. Secretary Scott Bessent and Commissioner Frank Bisignano should make the fixes GAO recommended and push states to cooperate on fair costs. Senator John Kennedy got this over the finish line. Now the rest of Washington needs to follow through. If they do, Do Not Pay can save taxpayers billions more. If they don’t, expect more speeches and fewer results — and more crooked actors laughing all the way to the mailbox.
