Federal agencies set new record of $125 billion in improper payments after years of declines
WASHINGTON – Federal agencies set a new record for improper payments last year, shelling out $125 billion in questionable benefits after years of declines.
The payments included tax credits for families that didn't qualify, Medicare payments for treatments that might not have been necessary, and unemployment benefits for people who were actually working.
Improper payments increased by $19 billion over the previous year, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress. In addition to fraud, the errors included overpayments and underpayments, as well as payments made without proper documentation.
While the errors were spread among 22 federal agencies, three programs stood out: Medicare, Medicaid and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Together, the three programs accounted for more than $93 billion in improper payments.
I wonder if we'll ever get serious about this little problem and if it's really only $125 billion?
Like most things in Gubment, "Improper Payment" is their conjured definition of a term which is pretty much useless to the loyal Lemmings and Forrest Gump citizens.
It is really a MANDATED GAO exercise they do every year as a result of some previous legislation that creates jobs for Gubment lawyers and accountants, and the end result is a meaningless press release and report, and a few thousand trees die for the paper to print the report.
Rinse spin repeat.
If you want to be, press one. If you want not to be, press 2
Republicans are red, democrats are blue, neither of them, gives a flip about you.
