San Juan, Puerto Rico – (July 8, 2026) — The Comptroller of Puerto Rico, CPA and Attorney Carmen A. Vega Fournier, and the Secretary of the Department of Health, Dr. Víctor M. Ramos Otero, signed today a collaborative agreement for the exchange of information from the Vital Statistics Registry of the Demographic Registry, for the purpose of strengthening government oversight and facilitating the identification of deceased individuals whose public benefits could remain active in government systems or records.
“We are very pleased because we continue to integrate technological mechanisms that will help us strengthen our mission. Today we are signing this agreement with the Department of Health, which will give us greater visibility and will allow our designated auditors to validate individuals’ date of death on a daily basis. As you know, our Office of the Comptroller has issued reports documenting deceased individuals, or relatives of deceased individuals, who illegally receive restricted benefits from state and federal government programs — for example, but not limited to, the Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP), among others — always in accordance with the administrative processes of the agencies concerned. With this agreement, vital statistics information held by the Demographic Registry may be shared through an exclusive channel and with priority designation for the Comptroller’s official requests,” said Comptroller Vega Fournier.
The Secretary of the Department of Health explained: “We continue to carry out actions consistent with the commitment of the Governor of Puerto Rico, Jenniffer González, to transparency and sound public administration. Information on deaths recorded from 2015 to the present, contained in the Demographic Registry database, will now be shared with the Office of the Comptroller through the latest version we have of the State and Territorial Exchange of Vital Events platform, known as STEVE. The data will be constantly updated and will include fields such as first name, middle name, last names, sex, date of death, Social Security number, death record number and residential address.”
The initiative arises after public audit reports and oversight work by the Office of the Comptroller identified the need to strengthen verification mechanisms in order to promptly detect possible disbursements, coverage or public benefits associated with deceased individuals. Among the programs that may benefit from these data cross-checks are the Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid or Plan Vital, and subsidized housing programs such as Plan 8 or Section 8, among others, always in accordance with the administrative processes of the agencies concerned.
Likewise, Dr. Ramos Otero emphasized that the Demographic Registry is an official source of vital information for the Government of Puerto Rico and that its responsible use contributes to a more efficient public administration.
“The Department of Health safeguards information that is sensitive and vital for our island. Through this agreement, that information will be used in a controlled and secure manner and exclusively for official oversight purposes. Interagency collaboration allows the Government to act with greater certainty, reduce administrative errors and protect the funds allocated to essential services,” Ramos Otero stated.
The Comptroller stressed that “the agreement does not constitute an automatic cancellation of benefits nor a determination of fraud against relatives or third parties, but rather an oversight tool to support audits, investigations and referrals where appropriate. Our role is to protect public resources, not to replace the administrative processes of the agencies. Any suspension, adjustment, recovery or cancellation of benefits must be carried out by the corresponding administering entity, in accordance with the law, its regulations and due process. What this agreement gives us is expedited access to reliable information in order to identify possible irregularities and promote corrective action,” Vega Fournier added.
The agreement also provides that the Department of Health will supply, upon request by email, verifications of vital events of birth, marriage or deaths prior to 2015, as well as certifications of divorce or marriage annulments when such information appears in the Demographic Registry database. In addition, the Department commits to responding regarding the availability of the requested information within two business days.
The measure establishes strict confidentiality safeguards. The Office of the Comptroller must guarantee the absolute confidentiality of the information obtained, limit its use to official purposes or those assigned by law, designate two liaison officers and ensure that each authorized official signs a confidentiality agreement before receiving access to the Demographic Registry database.
“Every control mechanism that is strengthened is an opportunity to prevent improper payments, correct deficiencies and ensure that assistance reaches those who truly need it. This agreement is a tool for prevention, transparency and sound public administration,” the Comptroller concluded.
Secretary Ramos Otero added that the collaboration demonstrates the importance of modernizing communication between agencies while always maintaining data security. “When government systems communicate securely and in an orderly manner, the result is more effective public management. This agreement recognizes the value of the Demographic Registry and places it at the service of a legitimate public purpose in order to support oversight, efficiency and the protection of the people’s resources,” Ramos Otero concluded.
Some documents on this page are saved in PDF format.
To view these documents, you must have the following free program installed.
