Berwyn Group

Beyond the DMF: How CertiDeath® Helps Pension Plans and Insurers Strengthen Death Audits – Webinar Recap and Transcript

In recent months, unexplained shifts in the SSA Death Master File (DMF) have raised new concerns about accuracy and reliability. For administrators safeguarding participant benefits, and for insurers ensuring claims integrity, staying ahead of these changes is essential. In a 30-minute webinar we shared exclusive insights into what we’ve [continue reading]

2025-10-29T12:45:11-05:00October 29, 2025|Death Audit & CertiDeath, Pension Industry|

Another Wave of Changes Hits the SSA Death Master File

We recently uncovered another shift in the Social Security Administration’s Limited Access Death Master File (LADMF). With 35 years of specialized experience in utilizing and analyzing the Death Master File (DMF), Berwyn has developed unmatched expertise in quickly identifying even the subtlest patterns and anomalies. The most recent change [continue reading]

2025-09-05T10:20:31-05:00September 5, 2025|Death Audit & CertiDeath, News|

SSA Reverses Course on April DMF Additions

The Social Security Administration (SSA) appears to have reversed a substantial and unprecedented addition of records to the Death Master File (DMF), highlighting the importance of expert interpretation in managing and understanding government datasets. Looking Back: DMF Experienced Significant Increase in April 2025 In early April 2025, the DMF saw [continue reading]

What You Need to Know About Changes to the DMF

The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Limited Access Death Master File (DMF) has undergone significant changes over the past month. These developments highlight the continued degradation of the DMF’s data quality. Once a reliable source, the DMF now reflects only 16% of actual decedents – a sharp decline over the past 14 [continue reading]

Your Guide to Choosing a Death Audit Vendor

The continuing degradation of the Social Security Administration's Limited Access Death Master File (DMF) makes the choice of a death audit vendor increasingly important. What are the essential aspects to consider in this selection? What important questions should you ask potential vendors? To assist you in this important decision-making process, [continue reading]

Death Audit vs. Death Data

The decline of data accessible via the Social Security Administration Death Master File (DMF) in 2011 redefined the Death Audit category. With this change, Death Audit providers became Death Data providers. This shift added complexities to death identification resulting in a significant number of missed deaths and associated overpayments [continue reading]

2025-06-16T16:14:53-05:00February 8, 2024|Death Audit & CertiDeath, Pension Industry|

How the demise of the Death Master File is a problem and an opportunity for insurance companies

More and more, insurance companies who rely primarily on the SSA Limited Access Death Master File (DMF) are missing huge numbers of unreported deceased policyholders. In fact, our Mortality Analyses we perform for prospective clients often reveal thousands of missed deaths. It’s not the fault of insurance companies. For [continue reading]

2024-06-26T15:49:08-05:00February 8, 2024|Death Audit & CertiDeath, Insurance Industry|
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