SSI is a program based on need. In addition to expanding on-line access to other states, however, SSA could also use it to improve the accuracy of its payments. If SSA field offices nationwide had used on-line access to state databases, SSI program dollars could have been saved because the overpayments might have been prevented or more quickly detected. On-Line Access Could Replace Current Computer-Matching Efforts That Rely on Older Data

Two of SSA’s predominant methods of detecting unreported and underreported earnings are (1) requiring that clients self-report all non-SSI income that they receive and (2) conducting computer matches to detect any unreported income once clients are on the rolls. Scope and Methodology

This report focuses on the extent to which on-line access can (1) improve the administration of the SSI program, (2) reduce overpayments, and (3) be easily implemented in SSA offices nationwide. We did this by analyzing information contained in the data regarding why these overpayments occurred.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Social Security Administration's (SSA) use of online access to state databases on income information to determine whether it could: (1) improve the administration of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program; (2) reduce overpayments; and (3) easily implement online access nationwide in SSA field offices.

What GAO Found

GAO found that the use of online access to state-maintained income data could: (1) improve the administration of the SSI program by cutting the time needed to verify client information; (2) prevent or detect overpayments due to underreported and unreported benefit income; (3) replace the current computer-matching system that relies on old data; (4) enable necessary security measures to protect client confidentiality; and (5) be inexpensively implemented nationwide with minimal programming.