Cite as: 537 U. S. 371 (2003)
Opinion of the Court
bursement for the costs incurred in providing for the beneficiary's care and maintenance.
B
The poor fit between § 407(a) and respondents' argument points to the real basis of their objections to the reimbursement practice. At bottom, respondents' position and the State Supreme Court's holding reflect a view that allowing a state agency to reimburse itself for the costs of foster care is antithetical to the best interest of the beneficiary foster child. See 145 Wash. 2d, at 17, 32 P. 3d, at 275 (contending that a foster child "is better off with any payee other than the [department] because [the department] must provide foster care under state law regardless of whether it receives a reimbursement" (emphasis in original)); id., at 24, 32 P. 3d, at 278 ("We seriously doubt using [Social Security] benefits to reimburse the state for its public assistance expenditure is in all cases, or even some, 'in the best interests of the beneficiary' " (quoting 20 CFR § 404.2035(a))).
Although it is true that the State could not directly compel the beneficiary or any other representative payee to pay Social Security benefits over to the State, that fact does not render the appointment of a self-reimbursing representative payee at odds with the Commissioner's mandate to find that a beneficiary's "interest . . . would be served" by the appointment. 42 U. S. C. §§ 405( j)(1)(A), 1383(a)(2)(A)(ii)(I).12 Re-12 Respondents also go beyond the § 407(a) issue to argue that the department violates § 405(j) itself, by, for example, failing to exercise discretion in how it uses benefits, periodically "sweeping" beneficiaries' accounts to pay for past care, and "double dipping" by using benefits to reimburse the State for costs previously recouped from other sources. These allegations, and respondents' § 405(j) stand-alone arguments more generally, are far afield of the question on which we granted certiorari. Moreover, constitutional claims aside, respondents' complaint and the class-action certification related only to § 407(a). Accordingly, we decline to reach respondents' § 405(j) arguments here, except insofar as they relate to the proper interpretation of § 407(a). Respondents are free to press their stand-
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