Processing New Waiver Requests After a Previous Request Was Denied

Submitting OIG:

Report Description:

Objective: To determine whether the Social Security Administration (SSA) properly applied res judicata for waiver requests made after a previous request was denied.

Date Issued:

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Agency Reviewed / Investigated:

Social Security Administration

Submitting OIG-Specific Report Number:

A-08-21-51100

Location(s):

Agency-Wide

Type of Report:

Audit

Questioned Costs:

$25,945,010

Funds for Better Use:

Number of Recommendations:

View Document:

Attachment	Size
08-21-51100.pdf	607.14 KB

Related Open Recommendations

Recommendation Number	Recommendation Status	Significant Recommendation
1	Open	No
Reinstitute collection actions for the remaining four debtors identified in our sample, as appropriate.
2	Open	Yes
Identify and re-institute collection actions, where needed, for all debtors who submitted a new request for waiver following an at fault waiver denial.
3	Open	Yes
Incorporate the Social Security Administration’s res judicata policy into the Social Security Administration’s Waiver Decisionmaker policy, or other appropriate policy, to alert technicians to review prior debt decisions.
4	Open	No
Provide reminder items for technicians about identifying and processing res judicata in cases to ensure all appropriate debts are collected and not incorrectly waived.

Recommendation Number

Recommendation Status

Significant Recommendation

Additional Details

Open

Reinstitute collection actions for the remaining four debtors identified in our sample, as appropriate.

Open

Yes

Identify and re-institute collection actions, where needed, for all debtors who submitted a new request for waiver following an at fault waiver denial.

Open

Yes

Incorporate the Social Security Administration’s res judicata policy into the Social Security Administration’s Waiver Decisionmaker policy, or other appropriate policy, to alert technicians to review prior debt decisions.