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“Improper payments” are payments made by the government to the wrong person, in the wrong amount, or for the wrong reason. Although not all improper payments are fraud, and not all improper payments represent a loss to the government...more
In FY 2011 the Administration adjusted the FY 2009 and FY 2010 government-wide error rate, amount, and amount avoided because HHS, in consultation with its Inspector General, refined its error rate in its FY 2011 annual report…more
Need more information on improper payments? We have a list of useful improper payment resources—including agency specific data, laws, and implementing guidance—that are often requested by agencies and the public.
| Program | Improper Payments |
|---|---|
| Medicare Fee-for-Service | $28.8B |
| Medicaid | $21.9B |
| Unemployment Insurance (UI) | $13.7B |
| Medicare Advantage (Part C) | $12.4B |
| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | $4.6B |
| Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI) | $4.5B |
| Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | $2.5B |
| National School Lunch Program (NSLP) | $1.7B |
| Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D) | $1.7B |
| Pell Grants | $1B |
| Rental Housing Assistance Programs | $1B |
The Administration has launched a tool to help guard against wasteful and improper payments that squander taxpayer dollars. The new Do Not Pay tool will help Federal agencies avoid payment errors.more
The Administration has announced that the government has exceeded the goal the President set in 2010 to recapture $2 billion in overpayments to contractors by the end of 2012. The government surpassed this goal nearly 6 months ahead of schedule. more