“The OIG made three recommendations, including that SSA act on the individual underpayments uncovered during the audit and determine how to identify and resolve the estimated 1.1 million outstanding payments owed to recipients or eligible survivors.
It also called on the agency to identify the causes of employee errors and introduce corrective measures so erroneous records are removed and required reviews of large underpayments are properly documented. The SSA agreed with all three recommendations.
The watchdog warned that failures to issue money already determined to be due can have serious consequences for people enrolled in a program specifically designed for Americans with very limited income and resources, saying recipients could experience “significant financial hardship” when underpayments are not resolved.”
Social Security Watchdog Finds $291 Million in Unpaid Disability Benefits – Newsweek