Katrina's Dead and Automatic Deposit

Here's a curious item to consider:
Automatic deposits of income from pensions, social security, the veteran's administration and the like will be a blessing for many of the displaced citizens by Katrina. A New Orleans resident forced to live elsewhere will find his income in his bank account, whether in Houston or in Portland Oregon. If he has his wallet with his bank card in it his money will be available at the nearest bank or ATM machine. The money will keep rolling in automatically, maybe even if the recipient is dead.
So there's something more at stake than humanitarian interest in documenting the Katrina dead. It can save the US Government money.
Every funeral home is required by law to report every death to the social security administration, and the death of every veteran to the veteran's administration. Why? The United States government has no intention of paying benefits to people who are in fact dead. Many a spouse has discovered the money flow cut off, not because they notified the Government, but because the funeral home did.
And if by chance the Government has overpaid, they will make a point of getting the money back, even if the amount is relatively small. They can't have news of any unintended generosity getting out.
Ah, well....