# Plain Language Summary: Valid Benefits Act

This bill requires federal agencies to double-check that people who are 105 years old or older are still eligible to receive federal benefits. Right now, once someone qualifies for benefits like Social Security, Medicare, or other federal programs, agencies don't regularly verify that they still meet the requirements. This bill would change that by making agencies check up on these very elderly beneficiaries twice a year to confirm they still qualify.

The practical effect is that federal agencies will need to contact people aged 105 and older (or their representatives) to verify basic eligibility information. This could include confirming they're still alive, still a U.S. citizen, or still meet income requirements—depending on which benefit program is involved. Each federal agency can decide how to carry out these checks, whether through mail, phone calls, or other methods. The bill gives agencies the flexibility to create their own rules for how to do this verification.

This change takes effect on January 1, 2026, so agencies have time to prepare their systems. The bill is relatively narrow in scope—it only targets the oldest Americans receiving federal benefits—and is designed to catch cases where benefits might be going to people who no longer qualify. For most people receiving federal benefits, this won't change anything since it only applies to those 105 and older, which is a very small population.