**GAO-11-724**                      Published: Jul 27, 2011. Publicly Released: Jul 27, 2011.                  

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## Highlights

The Social Security Administration's (SSA) Disability Insurance (DI) program paid almost $123 billion in benefits in fiscal year 2010 to more than 10 million workers and dependents. The program is poised to grow further as the baby boom generation ages. GAO examined (1) what is known about the extent to which SSA makes overpayments to, and recovers overpayments from, DI beneficiaries who exceed program earnings guidelines, and (2) potential DI program vulnerabilities that may contribute to overpayments to beneficiaries who have returned to work. To answer these questions, GAO reviewed work continuing disability review (work CDR) policies and procedures, interviewed SSA headquarters and processing center officials, visited 4 of 8 processing centers, and reviewed a random nongeneralizable sample of 60 CDR case files across those 4 centers (15 from each).

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## Topics

Government Operations

BeneficiariesCollection proceduresDebt collectionDisability benefitsDisability insuranceEligibility determinationsFederal social security programsInternal controlsOverpayment collection waiversOverpaymentsPeople with disabilitiesProgram evaluationPolicies and proceduresFinancial reporting