Summary: The failure of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program clients to disclose earnings and bank accounts was responsible for 40 percent of the $1.6 billion in overpayments identified in fiscal year 1996. More current and comprehensive information is now available to detect undisclosed earnings. Although two new databases developed by the Office of Child Support Enforcement could provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) with more current and comprehensive earnings information, SSA has put minimal effort into incorporating the use of these databases into the claims-handling process. SSA cites competing priorities as the reason why it has not done more. Opportunities for better financial account information also exist. SSA could obtain up-to-date information on the financial accounts of SSI clients from financial institutions by accessing the nationwide telecommunication network, which links all financial institutions. Such information would help ensure that applicants whose bank accounts make them ineligible for the program do not gain eligibility. By eliminating ineligible persons at the time of application, SSA could avoid the expense of determining medical and vocational disability and other processing costs for invalid claims. SSA could also reduce the number and duration of overpayments to recipients who are overpaid because of newly acquired bank accounts or increases in existing ones.
