WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicaid programs made more than $200 million in improper payments to health care providers between 2021 and 2022 for individuals who had already died, according to a new report from the independent watchdog for the Department of Health and Human Services. The Office of Inspector General noted that the issue is not isolated to a single state and has persisted over time. The report, released on Tuesday, indicates that over $207.5 million in managed care payments were made on behalf of deceased enrollees during July 2021 to July 2022. To tackle the issue, the Office of Inspector General recommends that the federal government increase its information sharing with state governments, specifically accessing a Social Security database known as the Full Death Master File. This database contains more than 142 million records dating back to 1899. While sharing this information has been limited due to privacy laws, new provisions in Republican legislation, 'One Big Beautiful Bill', mandate states to audit their Medicaid beneficiary lists quarterly against this file starting in 2027. Recent actions show some success; for instance, the Treasury Department reported recovering over $31 million in improper payments to deceased individuals following a pilot program that granted temporary access to the file. However, complications persist, particularly with ongoing updates to the file that impact the accuracy of records. The report serves as a critical first nationwide look at improper Medicaid payments, particularly regarding the effectiveness of oversight and prevention measures.