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Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Premium Growth Has Recently Slowed, and Varies among Participating Plans (open access)

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Premium Growth Has Recently Slowed, and Varies among Participating Plans

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Average health insurance premiums for plans participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) have risen each year since 1997. These growing premiums result in higher costs to the federal government and plan enrollees. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) oversees FEHBP, negotiating benefits and premiums and administering reserve accounts that may be used to cover plans' unanticipated spending increases. GAO was asked to evaluate the nature and extent of premium increases. To do this, GAO examined (1) FEHBP premium trends compared with those of other purchasers, (2) factors contributing to average premium growth across all FEHBP plans, and (3) factors contributing to differing trends among selected FEHBP plans. GAO reviewed data provided by OPM relating to FEHBP premiums and factors contributing to premium growth. For comparison purposes, GAO also examined premium data from the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) and surveys of other public and private employers. GAO also interviewed officials from OPM and eight FEHBP plans with premium growth that was higher than average, and six FEHBP plans with premium growth that was lower than average to discuss premium growth trends and …
Date: December 22, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Employment Arrangements: Improved Outreach Could Help Ensure Proper Worker Classification (open access)

Employment Arrangements: Improved Outreach Could Help Ensure Proper Worker Classification

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Millions of U.S. workers participate in "contingent" employment, such as temporary or part-time work, and not in permanent or full-time jobs. The Department of Labor (DOL) enforces several labor laws to protect these and other workers, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which provides minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor protections. In June 2000, GAO reported that contingent workers lagged behind standard full-time workers in terms of income, benefits, and workforce protections, and that some employees do not receive worker protections because employers misclassified them as independent contractors. GAO was asked to update this report by describing (1) the size and nature of the contingent workforce, (2) the benefits and workforce protections provided to contingent workers, and (3) the actions that DOL takes to detect and address employee misclassification. We analyzed DOL survey data on contingent workers and interviewed DOL officials."
Date: July 11, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Suggested Areas for Oversight for the 110th Congress (open access)

Suggested Areas for Oversight for the 110th Congress

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO is pleased to offer three sets of recommendations for consideration of the agenda of the 110th Congress. The first suggests targets for near-term oversight; the second proposes policies and programs that are in need of fundamental reform and re-engineering; and the third lists governance issues that should be addressed to help ensure an economical, efficient, effective, ethical, and equitable federal government capable of responding to the various challenges and capitalizing on related opportunities in the 21st century. Details on each of these recommendations can be found in the enclosure. GAO has three key roles to play in making a difference for the Congress and the American people: oversight, insight, and foresight. The attached lists reflect those missions and represent an effort to synthesize GAO's institutional knowledge and special expertise for the benefit of you and your colleagues in your planning efforts. In this regard, GAO believes that to be effective, congressional oversight needs to be constructive. For example, related hearings and other activities should offer opportunities for leading federal agencies to share best practices and facilitate governmentwide transformation. They should also hold people accountable for delivering positive …
Date: November 17, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
The North Texan, Volume 56, Number 3, Fall 2006 (open access)

The North Texan, Volume 56, Number 3, Fall 2006

The North Texan magazine includes articles and notes about UNT students, faculty, and alumni activities.
Date: Autumn 2006
Creator: University of North Texas
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The UNT Digital Library
No Child Left Behind Act: Assistance from Education Could Help States Better Measure Progress of Students with Limited English Proficiency (open access)

No Child Left Behind Act: Assistance from Education Could Help States Better Measure Progress of Students with Limited English Proficiency

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For the Spanish translation of the highlights page for this document, see GAO-06-1111. Ley para que ningun nino se quede atras: La ayuda del Departamento de Educacion puede contribuir a que los Estados midan mejor el progreso de los alumnos que no dominan bien el ingles. GAO-06-1111, Julio de 2006. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLBA) focused attention on the academic achievement of more than 5 million students with limited English proficiency. Obtaining valid test results for these students is challenging, given their language barriers. This report describes (1) the extent to which these students are meeting annual academic progress goals, (2) what states have done to ensure the validity of their academic assessments, (3) what states are doing to ensure the validity of their English language proficiency assessments, and (4) how the U.S. Department of Education (Education) is supporting states' efforts to meet NCLBA's assessment requirements for these students. To collect this information, we convened a group of experts and studied five states (California, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, and Texas). We also conducted a state survey and reviewed state and Education …
Date: July 26, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Lessons Learned for Protecting and Educating Children after the Gulf Coast Hurricanes (open access)

Lessons Learned for Protecting and Educating Children after the Gulf Coast Hurricanes

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In August and September 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused devastating damage to states along the Gulf Coast. In the aftermath of the storms, many questions were raised about the status of the thousands of children living in the affected areas. We prepared this preliminary information under the Comptroller General's authority to learn more about (1) the number of missing children and the challenges and lessons learned in locating them; (2) the number of foster and other children receiving child welfare services in Louisiana, in particular, who were affected by the storm, and the challenges and lessons learned in locating and serving them; and (3) the number of schoolchildren displaced by the storm, the damage to their schools, and the challenges and lessons learned for educating displaced school-aged children."
Date: May 11, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicaid Third-Party Liability: Federal Guidance Needed to Help States Address Continuing Problems (open access)

Medicaid Third-Party Liability: Federal Guidance Needed to Help States Address Continuing Problems

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Medicaid, jointly funded by the federal government and the states, finances health care for about 56 million low-income people at an estimated total cost of about $298 billion in fiscal year 2004. Congress intended Medicaid to be the payer of last resort: if Medicaid beneficiaries have another source of health care coverage--such as private health insurance or a health plan purchased individually or provided through an employer--that source, to the extent of its liability, should pay before Medicaid does. This concept is referred to as "third-party liability." When such coverage is used, savings accrue to the federal government and the states. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the states, GAO examined (1) the extent to which Medicaid beneficiaries have private health coverage and (2) problems states face in ensuring that Medicaid is the payer of last resort, including the extent to which the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 may help address these problems."
Date: September 15, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The North Texan, Volume 56, Number 1, Spring 2006 (open access)

The North Texan, Volume 56, Number 1, Spring 2006

The North Texan magazine includes articles and notes about UNT students, faculty, and alumni activities.
Date: Spring 2006
Creator: University of North Texas
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The UNT Digital Library
The North Texan, Volume 56, Number 4, Winter 2006 (open access)

The North Texan, Volume 56, Number 4, Winter 2006

The North Texan magazine includes articles and notes about UNT students, faculty, and alumni activities.
Date: Winter 2006
Creator: University of North Texas
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Infrastructure: Actions Taken to Improve the Management of Utility Privatization, but Some Concerns Remain (open access)

Defense Infrastructure: Actions Taken to Improve the Management of Utility Privatization, but Some Concerns Remain

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Department of Defense (DOD) installations have about 2,600 electric, water, wastewater, and natural gas utility systems valued at about $50 billion. In 1997, DOD decided that privatization was the preferred method for improving utility systems, and Congress approved legislative authority for privatizing DOD's utility systems with Public Law No. 105-85. DOD estimates that some utility privatization contracts will cost over $100 million. In a May 2005 report, GAO identified several management weaknesses in DOD's implementation of the program. The Fiscal Year 2006 National Defense Authorization Act required GAO to evaluate and report on changes to the utility privatization program since May 2005. Accordingly, this report updates the status of the program and discusses the effect of DOD's changes on the concerns noted last year. To conduct this review, GAO summarized program status and costs, assessed DOD's changes to program guidance and in other areas, and reviewed the services' implementation of the changes."
Date: September 5, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Indian Issues: BLM's Program for Issuing Individual Indian Allotments on Public Lands Is No Longer Viable (open access)

Indian Issues: BLM's Program for Issuing Individual Indian Allotments on Public Lands Is No Longer Viable

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Beginning in the late nineteenth century the federal government began an effort to assimilate Indians by transferring them from communal tribal existence to individual land ownership. The Act of February 8, 1887, commonly referred to as the General Allotment Act, initiated the federal government's Indian allotment policy. The act authorized the President to allot parcels of land to individual Indians--generally in sizes of 40, 80, or 160 acres--on Indian reservations and on public lands. The act was implemented by the Department of the Interior's (Interior) Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Under this authority, BIA issued millions of acres of individual allotments on Indian reservations, and BLM issued thousands of acres of individual Indian allotments on public lands. However, in 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act largely reversed the federal government's Indian allotment policy and replaced it with a policy that encouraged tribal self-governance. Section 5 of the Indian Reorganization Act also provided the Secretary of the Interior new authority to acquire land, on and off reservations, on behalf of federally recognized tribes or their members. While the Indian Reorganization Act ended BIA's authority …
Date: October 20, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Rail Transit: Additional Federal Leadership Would Enhance FTA's State Safety Oversight Program (open access)

Rail Transit: Additional Federal Leadership Would Enhance FTA's State Safety Oversight Program

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. rail transit system is a vital component of the nation's transportation infrastructure. Safety and security oversight of rail transit is the responsibility of state-designated oversight agencies following Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements. In this report, GAO addressed: (1) how the State Safety Oversight program is designed; (2) what is known about the program's impact; and (3) challenges facing the program. We also provide information about oversight of transit systems that cross state boundaries. To do our work we surveyed state oversight agencies and transit agencies covered by FTA's program."
Date: July 26, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Intellectual Property: Strategy for Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP) Requires Changes for Long-Term Success (open access)

Intellectual Property: Strategy for Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP) Requires Changes for Long-Term Success

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "U.S. government efforts to protect and enforce intellectual property (IP) rights are crucial to preventing billions of dollars in losses and mitigating health and safety risks from trade in counterfeit and pirated goods. These efforts are coordinated through the National Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Coordination Council (NIPLECC), created by Congress in 1999, and the Strategy for Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP), initiated by the Bush administration in 2004. This report describes the evolution of NIPLECC and STOP, assesses the extent to which STOP addresses the desirable characteristics of an effective national strategy, and evaluates the challenges to implementing a strategy for protecting and enforcing IP rights. GAO examined relevant documents, interviewed agency and industry officials, and assessed STOP using criteria previously developed by GAO."
Date: November 8, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Transit Administration: Progress Made in Implementing Changes to the Job Access Program, but Evaluation and Oversight Processes Need Improvement (open access)

Federal Transit Administration: Progress Made in Implementing Changes to the Job Access Program, but Evaluation and Oversight Processes Need Improvement

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Begun in 1998, the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program provides grants to states and localities for improving the mobility of low-income persons seeking work. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) administers this program. In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) authorized $727 million for JARC for fiscal years 2005 through 2009, changed how these funds were to be awarded after fiscal year 2005, and required FTA to evaluate the program by August 2008. GAO examined (1) SAFETEA-LU's changes to JARC, (2) FTA's progress in implementing these changes, (3) states' and localities' efforts to respond and challenges they have encountered, and (4) FTA's proposed strategy for evaluation and oversight. GAO's work included analyzing program guidance as well as interviewing officials from FTA, industry groups, and more than 30 state and local agencies."
Date: November 17, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Internal Revenue Service: Procedural Changes Could Enhance Tax Collections (open access)

Internal Revenue Service: Procedural Changes Could Enhance Tax Collections

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO previously testified that federal contractors abused the tax system with little consequence. While performing those audits, GAO noted that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) records sometimes contained inaccurate or outdated tax information that prevented IRS from taking appropriate collection actions against those contractors, including submitting their tax debt to the Federal Payment Levy Program (FPLP) for collection. As a result, GAO was asked to review IRS's coding of tax debt excluded from the FPLP to determine whether (1) IRS tax records contain inaccurate status or transaction codes that exclude tax debt from the FPLP, (2) IRS's monitoring could be strengthened to ensure the accuracy of its status and transaction codes, and (3) other opportunities exist to increase the amount of tax debt included in the FPLP."
Date: November 15, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The North Texan, Volume 56, Number 2, Summer 2006 (open access)

The North Texan, Volume 56, Number 2, Summer 2006

The North Texan magazine includes articles and notes about UNT students, faculty, and alumni activities.
Date: Summer 2006
Creator: University of North Texas
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The UNT Digital Library
Information Technology: DOD Needs to Ensure That Navy Marine Corps Intranet Program Is Meeting Goals and Satisfying Customers (open access)

Information Technology: DOD Needs to Ensure That Navy Marine Corps Intranet Program Is Meeting Goals and Satisfying Customers

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) is a 10-year, $9.3 billion information technology services program. Through a performance-based contract, the Navy is buying network (intranet), application, and other hardware and software services at a fixed price per unit (or "seat") to support about 550 sites. GAO prepared this report under the Comptroller General's authority as part of a continued effort to assist Congress and reviewed (1) whether the program is meeting its strategic goals, (2) the extent to which the contractor is meeting service level agreements, (3) whether customers are satisfied with the program, and (4) what is being done to improve customer satisfaction. To accomplish this, GAO reviewed key program and contract performance management-related plans, measures, and data and interviewed NMCI program and contractor officials, as well as NMCI customers at shipyards and air depots."
Date: December 8, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
DOD Personnel Clearances: Funding Challenges and Other Impediments Slow Clearances for Industry Personnel (open access)

DOD Personnel Clearances: Funding Challenges and Other Impediments Slow Clearances for Industry Personnel

A statement of record issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) is responsible for about 2 million active personnel security clearances. About one-third of the clearances are for industry personnel working on contracts for DOD and more than 20 other executive agencies. Delays in determining eligibility for a clearance can heighten the risk that classified information will be disclosed to unauthorized sources and increase contract costs and problems attracting and retaining qualified personnel. On April 28, 2006, DOD announced it had stopped processing security clearance applications for industry personnel because of an overwhelming volume of requests and funding constraints. GAO has reported problems with DOD's security clearance processes since 1981. In January 2005, GAO designated DOD's program a high-risk area because of longstanding delays in completing clearance requests and an inability to accurately estimate and eliminate its clearance backlog. For this statement GAO addresses: (1) key points in the billing dispute between DOD and OPM and (2) some of the major impediments affecting clearances for industry personnel."
Date: May 17, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ryan White CARE Act: Improved Oversight Needed to Ensure AIDS Drug Assistance Programs Obtain Best Prices for Drugs (open access)

Ryan White CARE Act: Improved Oversight Needed to Ensure AIDS Drug Assistance Programs Obtain Best Prices for Drugs

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The CARE Act authorized grants to the states and certain territories for AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAP) to purchase and provide HIV/AIDS drugs to eligible individuals. An ADAP's coverage--who and what is covered--is determined by each ADAP's eligibility and other program criteria, and ADAPs may establish waiting lists for eligible individuals. ADAPs may purchase their drugs through the 340B federal drug pricing program, which provides discounts on certain drugs to covered entities. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) oversees ADAPs and is responsible for monitoring the prices they pay. GAO was asked to examine (1) coverage differences among ADAPs, (2) how the prices ADAPs reported paying for HIV/AIDS drugs compare to 340B prices, (3) how HRSA monitors the drug prices ADAPs pay, and (4) how the 340B prices compare to other selected federal drug pricing programs."
Date: April 26, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Land Exchange: Assessment of Mount Hood Land Appraisal Reports (open access)

Federal Land Exchange: Assessment of Mount Hood Land Appraisal Reports

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In response to a Congressional request, we briefed Congressional staff on September 21, 2006, on the results of our review of two appraisal reports prepared for a proposed land exchange contained within the pending bill H.R. 5025, the Mount Hood Stewardship Legacy Act. This bill would authorize the exchange of private land and business interests at Cooper Spur for Forest Service land at Government Camp in Oregon. Specifically, Congress asked that we determine whether the appraisal reports supporting this land exchange were prepared in compliance with recognized appraisal standards, namely, appraisal industry standards as defined in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practices (USPAP) and federal standards as defined in the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (UASFLA)."
Date: September 26, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Managing Sensitive Information: DOJ Needs a More Complete Staffing Strategy for Managing Classified Information and a Set of Internal Controls for Other Sensitive Information (open access)

Managing Sensitive Information: DOJ Needs a More Complete Staffing Strategy for Managing Classified Information and a Set of Internal Controls for Other Sensitive Information

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The September 11 attacks showed that agencies must balance the need to protect and share sensitive information to prevent future attacks. Agencies classify this information or designate it sensitive but unclassified to protect and limit access to it. The National Archives' Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) assesses agencies' classification management programs, and in July 2004 and April 2005 recommended changes to correct problems at the Justice Department (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). GAO was asked to examine (1) DOJ's and FBI's progress in implementing the recommendations and (2) the management controls DOJ components have to ensure the proper use of sensitive but unclassified designations. GAO reviewed ISOO's reports and agency documentation on changes implemented and controls in place, and interviewed security program managers at DOJ, its components, and ISOO to examine these issues."
Date: October 20, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Residential Care Facilities Mortgage Insurance Program: Opportunities to Improve Program and Risk Management (open access)

Residential Care Facilities Mortgage Insurance Program: Opportunities to Improve Program and Risk Management

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Through its Section 232 program, the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures approximately $12.5 billion in mortgages for residential care facilities. In response to a requirement in the 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Conference Report and a congressional request, GAO examined (1) HUD's management of the program, including loan underwriting and monitoring; (2) the extent to which HUD's oversight of insured facilities is coordinated with the states' oversight of quality of care; (3) the financial risks the program poses to HUD's General Insurance/Special Risk Insurance (GI/SRI) Fund; and (4) how HUD estimates the annual credit subsidy cost for the program."
Date: May 24, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Challenges Remain in Developing Capabilities for Naval Surface Fire Support (open access)

Defense Acquisitions: Challenges Remain in Developing Capabilities for Naval Surface Fire Support

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since the mid-1990s, the Navy and Marine Corps have studied ways to better protect landing forces. As new operational concepts evolved, the Marine Corps identified requirements for naval surface fire support and the Navy began developing two systems to meet these needs--the Extended Range Munition for existing classes of ships and the future Zumwalt class destroyer. GAO was asked to address (1) whether requirements for fire support have been established and (2) the Navy's progress on the Extended Range Munition, Zumwalt class destroyer, and follow-on systems. GAO also analyzed whether these Navy systems fulfill the requirements and whether gaps remain. To address these objectives GAO analyzed key documents on requirements and programs and held discussions with officials from the Navy and Marine Corps as well as other interested organizations."
Date: November 30, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Export Controls: Agencies Should Assess Vulnerabilities and Improve Guidance for Protecting Export-Controlled Information at Universities (open access)

Export Controls: Agencies Should Assess Vulnerabilities and Improve Guidance for Protecting Export-Controlled Information at Universities

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Foreign students and scholars have made substantial contributions to U.S. research efforts and technology development. However, according to a federal government intelligence assessment, foreign access to sensitive U.S. technology has imposed a significant but unquantifiable cost to the United States. Given this risk, GAO was asked to (1) describe the nature of the research at universities and identify steps they take to comply with export controls and (2) assess efforts by the Departments of Commerce and State--the key export control agencies--to determine the risk of export violations in university research. GAO reviewed Commerce and State export control programs and met with officials from 13 universities, selected based on their foreign student populations, applications for export licenses, and federal grants and contracts."
Date: December 5, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library