What is the term for the effort to claim that a beneficiary cannot repay an overpayment due to no fault of their own?

The correct term for the effort to claim that a beneficiary cannot repay an overpayment due to no fault of their own is "waiver." A waiver typically refers to a request for relief from the obligation to repay an overpayment because the individual was not responsible for the circumstances that led to the overpayment. This process allows the beneficiary to assert that repaying the overpayment would create undue hardship or is not justified since the error was not their fault.

Recoupment, on the other hand, refers to the process of recovering the overpayment from the beneficiary's future benefits, which does not involve the argument of fault. Reimbursement generally pertains to being paid back for expenses incurred, and compensation usually refers to payment made to recompense for loss or injury, not specifically related to overpayment situations. Understanding these terms is vital in navigating situations for beneficiaries dealing with overpayments.