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Overpayment Outrage

Overpayment Outrage

KFF Health News / Cox Media Group Investigation

Social Security has been overpaying billions of dollars to people, many on disability – then demanding the money back, even if the government made mistakes, an investigation by KFF Health News and Cox Media Group revealed. The reporting has triggered harsh criticism in Congress and led to an investigation by the agency.

Featured Stories

Social Security Overpays Billions to People, Many on Disability. Then It Demands the Money Back.

September 15, 2023

Beneficiaries in five states described what happened when they received letters calling on them to return overpayments that can reach tens of thousands of dollars or more.

A photo of a woman sitting in a chair indoors.

Covid Relief Payments Triggered Feds to Demand Money Back From Social Security Recipients

October 18, 2023

Some Social Security beneficiaries say the government is clawing back benefits after they received covid stimulus payments that were supposed to be exempt from asset limits.

A photo of an older man reading on the couch in the background. His adult daughter, who is blind and has cerebral palsy, sits in the foreground.

Social Security Clawbacks Hit a Million More People Than Agency Chief Told Congress

December 6, 2023

More than 2 million people a year have been sent notices that Social Security overpaid them and demanding they repay the money. That’s twice as many as the head of Social Security disclosed at a congressional hearing in October.

Kilolo Kijakazi reviews a sheet of paper being handed to her.

Featured Video

“Overpayment Outrage” is a collaboration between KFF Health News and Cox Media Group TV stations

Response to Our Reporting

In Congress, Calls Mount for Social Security to Address Clawbacks

November 30, 2023

In the wake of a KFF Health News-Cox Media Group investigation, U.S. lawmakers are asking what Social Security will do about its demands on their constituents to repay money already distributed — and sometimes in error. Sen. Rick Scott called the agency’s actions “unacceptable.”

A photo of the U.S. Capitol.

Biden Pick to Lead Social Security Pledges Action on ‘Heartbreaking’ Clawbacks

November 3, 2023

At a Senate confirmation hearing, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley said he would address hardships the Social Security agency has caused by demanding money back from beneficiaries.

A photo of former Governor Martin O'Malley seated and moving a microphone while testifying before the Senate Finance Committee.

Senators Demand Answers From Social Security on Clawbacks Tied to Covid Relief

October 19, 2023

Covid relief payments weren’t supposed to cost people their Social Security benefits, but some recipients say they did. Senators want to know why.

Three pictures of U.S. senators. On the left is Sen. Ron Wyden. In the center is Sen. Bob Casey. On the right is Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Under Fire, Social Security Chief Vows ‘Top-to-Bottom’ Review of Payment Clawbacks

October 18, 2023

Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi was pressed by a House Ways and Means subcommittee to explain why so many poor, disabled, or retired people are suddenly hit with demands that can reach tens of thousands of dollars or more.

A screenshot from a livestream of Kilolo Kijakazi testifying during a subcommittee hearing in the House of Representatives.

House Panel to Hold Hearing on Erroneous Social Security Payments

October 11, 2023

Congress is beginning to take action on the Social Security Administration’s clawbacks of payments it mistakenly made to poor, retired, and disabled Americans.

Social Security Chief Orders Broad Review of Benefit Overpayments 

October 4, 2023

In the wake of an investigation by KFF Health News and Cox Media Group, the SSA acting commissioner said a special team will review “overpayment policies and procedures” and report directly back to her.

Social Security Overpayments Draw Scrutiny and Outrage From Members of Congress

September 29, 2023

Lawmakers are faulting the Social Security Administration for issuing billions of dollars of payments that beneficiaries weren’t entitled to receive — and then demanding the money back — in the wake of an investigation by KFF Health News and Cox Media Group.

A split-screen photo showing Senator Sherrod Brown, Senator Maggie Hassan, Senator Rick Scott, Representative Mike Carey, and Representative John Larson.

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Justina Worrell’s aunt and caregiver Addie Arnold, who took her in when she was orphaned as a child, said neither of them has $60,175.90 to repay the government. (WHIO-TV, Dayton)

Video Gallery

Hundreds of thousands of families are facing unexpected bills from government (WSB-TV, Atlanta)

Local families told they owe thousands they don’t have after Social Security overpayments (WPXI-TV, Pittsburgh)

Social Security Administration clawing back $21 billion in overpayments (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Hundreds of thousands of people face overpayment claims from Social Security (WFTV, Orlando)

‘We have to get this right!’ Lawmakers demand action in Congressional hearing over SSA overpayments (WSB-TV, Atlanta)

I-TEAM: Senators demand answers from Social Security for clawbacks tied to Covid relief (WHIO-TV, Dayton)

Lawmakers demand answers from SSA after Channel 2/KFF Health News investigation (WSB-TV, Atlanta)

Social Security reviewing overpayment policies, procedures following Action News Jax investigation (WJAX-TV, Jacksonville)

I-TEAM: Some say they’ve lost Social Security benefits because of stimulus checks (WHIO-TV, Dayton)

Some say they’ve lost Social Security benefits because of stimulus checks (WSOC-TV, Charlotte)

Families say they lost Social Security benefits due to agency erroneously counting COVID-19 checks (WFXT-TV, Boston)

People say COVID-19 stimulus caused social security overpayments, even though that money was exempt (WFTV, Orlando)

Social Security clawbacks hit a million more people than agency chief told Congress (WFTV, Orlando)

Social Security clawbacks hit million more people than agency chief told Congress (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Social Security chief says about 1M face overpayments each year – internal records show it’s double (WPXI-TV, Pittsburgh)

I-Team: Social Security clawbacks hit 1M+ more people than agency chief told Congress (WHIO-TV, Dayton)

Credits

Reporters

David Hilzenrath
Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group
Samantha Manning, Cox Media Group
Justin Gray, WSB-TV, Atlanta
John Bedell, WHIO-TV, Dayton
Shannon Butler, WFTV-TV, Orlando
Amy Hudak, WPXI-TV, Pittsburgh
Jesse Jones, KIRO-TV, Seattle
Ted Daniel, WFXT-TV, Boston
Madison Carter, WSOC-TV, Charlotte
Ben Becker, WJAX-TV, Jacksonville
Alyssa Raymond, WPXI-TV, Pittsburgh

Editors

John Hillkirk
Kelly Johnson
Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group

Web Producers

Eric Harkleroad
Alessandra Bergamin
Lynne Shallcross
Oona Tempest
Lydia Zuraw

TV Producers

Leah Dunn, WSB-TV, Atlanta
Christine Swartz, WFXT-TV, Boston
Laura Beggs, WSOC-TV, Charlotte
Shawn Lanier, WHIO-TV, Dayton
Maria Tomasch, WJAX-TV, Jacksonville
Christopher Heath, WFTV-TV, Orlando
Cyndy McGrath, WPXI-TV, Pittsburgh
Anna Rodzinski, KIRO-TV, Seattle
Josh Wade, Cox Media Group
Jon Sonnheim, Cox Media Group

Copy Editors

Terry Byrne
Gabe Brison-Trezise