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VA Health Care: VA Should Expedite the Implementation of Recommendations Needed to Improve Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Services (open access)

VA Health Care: VA Should Expedite the Implementation of Recommendations Needed to Improve Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Services

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is caused by an extremely stressful event, can develop after military combat and exposure to the threat of death or serious injury. Mental health experts estimate that the intensity of warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan could cause more than 15 percent of servicemembers returning from these conflicts to develop PTSD. Symptoms of PTSD can be debilitating and include insomnia; intense anxiety; and difficulty coping with work, social, and family relationships. Left untreated, PTSD can lead to substance abuse, severe depression, and suicide. Symptoms may appear within months of the traumatic event or be delayed for years. While there is no cure for PTSD, experts believe early identification and treatment of PTSD symptoms may lessen their severity and improve the overall quality of life for individuals with this disorder. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a world leader in PTSD treatment and offers PTSD services to eligible veterans. To inform new veterans about the health care services it offers, VA has increased outreach efforts to servicemembers returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Outreach efforts, coupled with expanded access to VA …
Date: February 14, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Elderly Housing: Federal Housing Programs That Offer Assistance for the Elderly (open access)

Elderly Housing: Federal Housing Programs That Offer Assistance for the Elderly

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "According to the 2003 American Housing Survey sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), nearly one-third of elderly households--those whose head was age 62 or older--were experiencing housing affordability problems. Further, a congressional commission reported in 2002 that investment in affordable housing is decreasing, although the elderly population is expected to increase. A number of federal housing programs provide assistance, including rent subsidies, mortgage insurance, and loans and grants for the purchase or repair of homes, to low-income renters and homeowners. These programs are administered primarily by HUD or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). GAO was asked to determine the extent to which federal housing programs provide benefits to elderly households, summarize information on the programs' effectiveness in assisting the elderly and supportive services, and determine how HUD and USDA avoid overlap and duplication in their programs."
Date: February 14, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homeland Security: Recommendations to Improve Management of Key Border Security Program Need to Be Implemented (open access)

Homeland Security: Recommendations to Improve Management of Key Border Security Program Need to Be Implemented

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has established a program--the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT)--to collect, maintain, and share information, including biometric identifiers, on selected foreign nationals entering and exiting the United States. US-VISIT uses these identifiers (digital fingerscans and photographs) to screen persons against watch lists and to verify that a visitor is the person who was issued a visa or other travel document. Visitors are also to confirm their departure by having their visas or passports scanned and undergoing fingerscanning at selected air and sea ports of entry (POE). GAO has made many recommendations to improve the program, all of which DHS has agreed to implement. GAO was asked to report on DHS's progress in responding to 18 of these recommendations."
Date: February 14, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Veterans' Benefits: Improved Management Would Enhance VA's Pension Program (open access)

Veterans' Benefits: Improved Management Would Enhance VA's Pension Program

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2006, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) paid about $3.5 billion in means-tested pension benefits to over 500,000 veterans and survivors. GAO was asked to review the management of VA pension program. This report assesses (1) the characteristics and trends in size of the current pensioner population, (2) the policies and procedures VA has in place to ensure that initial pension eligibility decisions are well managed, and (3) the procedures VA has in place to ensure that pensioners continue to receive the proper benefit payments on an ongoing basis. Our study included reviews of agency policies, procedures, and internal controls; site visits to 4 of VA's 57 regional offices and all three of its pension maintenance centers; and a selected file review of new claims at three locations."
Date: February 14, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Maritime Security: Coast Guard Inspections Identify and Correct Facility Deficiencies, but More Analysis Needed of Program's Staffing, Practices, and Data (open access)

Maritime Security: Coast Guard Inspections Identify and Correct Facility Deficiencies, but More Analysis Needed of Program's Staffing, Practices, and Data

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To help secure the nation's ports against a terrorist attack, federal regulations have required cargo and other maritime facilities to have security plans in place since July 2004. U.S Coast Guard (USCG) guidance calls for an annual inspection to ensure that plans are being followed. Federal law enacted in October 2006 required such facilities to be inspected two times a year--one of which is to be conducted unannounced. The USCG plans to conduct one announced inspection and the other as a less comprehensive unannounced "spot check." GAO examined the extent to which the USCG (1) has met inspection requirements and found facilities to be complying with their plans, (2) has determined the availability of trained personnel to meet current and future facility inspection requirements, and (3) has assessed the effectiveness of its facility inspection program and ensured that program compliance data collected and reported are reliable. GAO analyzed USCG compliance data, interviewed inspectors and other stakeholders in 7 of 35 USCG sectors of varying size, geographic location, and type of waterway."
Date: February 14, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homeland Security: Planned Expenditures for U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Program Need to Be Adequately Defined and Justified (open access)

Homeland Security: Planned Expenditures for U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Program Need to Be Adequately Defined and Justified

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has established a program--the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT)--to collect, maintain, and share information, including biometric identifiers, on selected foreign nationals who travel to the United States. By congressional mandate, DHS is to develop and submit for approval an expenditure plan for US-VISIT that satisfies certain conditions, including being reviewed by GAO. GAO was required to determine if the plan satisfied these conditions, follow up on recommendations related to the expenditure plan, and provide any other observations. To address the mandate, GAO assessed plans against federal guidelines and industry standards and interviewed the appropriate DHS officials."
Date: February 14, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Contracting for Information Technology Services (open access)

Contracting for Information Technology Services

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Federal agencies spend billions of dollars annually acquiring information technology (IT) services from thousands of contractors using a variety of contracting methods. IT services include computer and telecommunication services, as well as the testing, quality control, installation, and operation of computer equipment. We (1) identified trends in federal spending for IT services from fiscal years 1997 to 2001 and (2) determined the distribution of federal spending for IT services among small, medium-size, and large businesses in fiscal year 2001, the latest year for which such information was available."
Date: February 14, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Retiree Health Benefits: Options for Employment-Based Prescription Drug Benefits under the Medicare Modernization Act (open access)

Retiree Health Benefits: Options for Employment-Based Prescription Drug Benefits under the Medicare Modernization Act

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) created a prescription drug benefit for beneficiaries, called Medicare part D, beginning in January 2006. The MMA included incentives for sponsors of employment-based retiree health plans to offer prescription drug benefits to Medicare-eligible retirees, such as a federal subsidy when sponsors provide benefits meeting certain MMA requirements. Plan sponsors cannot receive a subsidy for retired Medicare beneficiaries who enroll in part D. In response to an MMA mandate, GAO determined (1) the trends in employment-based retiree health coverage prior to the MMA and (2) which MMA prescription drug options plan sponsors said they would pursue and the effect these options might have on retiree health benefits. GAO identified trends using data from federal and private sector surveys of employers' health benefit plans and financial statements of 50 randomly selected Fortune 500 employers. Where data for Medicare-eligible retirees were not available, GAO reported data for all retirees, including Medicare-eligible retirees. To obtain plan sponsors' views about options they were likely to pursue, GAO reviewed the 50 employers' financial reports and interviewed benefit consultants; private and public …
Date: February 14, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Loan Commitments: Issues Related to Pricing, Trading, and Accounting (open access)

Loan Commitments: Issues Related to Pricing, Trading, and Accounting

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Federal banking regulators reported that commercial banks held about $1.6 trillion in syndicated loans in 2003. Loan commitments--a promise to make a set amount of credit available in the future--represented $1 trillion (about 64 percent) of these loans. Issues have been raised whether commercial banks systematically underprice loan commitments and whether generally accepted accounting principles provide meaningful disclosure of the economics of these commitments. This report discusses (1) differences between the pricing of loan commitments and loans, and assesses data that are available about the trading of loan commitments; (2) the extent to which credit default swaps are used to reduce the credit risk from loan commitments, and what credit default swap prices indicate about the prices of loan commitments; and (3) differences between commercial and investment banks' accounting treatment of loan commitments, and the strengths and weaknesses of fair value accounting."
Date: February 14, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Small Business Administration: Additional Steps Needed to Enhance Agency Preparedness for Future Disasters (open access)

Small Business Administration: Additional Steps Needed to Enhance Agency Preparedness for Future Disasters

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government's primary provider of disaster loans to businesses, homeowners, and renters. In a previous report (GAO- 06-860), GAO found that SBA's limited information systems planning contributed to delays in processing disaster loans for the victims of the 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes (Katrina, Rita, and Wilma). To provide further insight into how SBA's disaster preparedness could be enhanced, this second report, initiated under the Comptroller General's authority, assesses other logistical issues (e.g., staffing and space acquisition) that may have affected the efficiency of the agency's response to the hurricanes. Specifically, this report (1) assesses SBA's logistical planning efforts prior to the Gulf Coast hurricanes and current planning efforts and (2) discusses SBA's outreach services to hurricane victims. GAO reviewed disaster planning reports, interviewed SBA officials, and visited the Gulf Coast region."
Date: February 14, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Information Security: Although Progress Reported, Federal Agencies Need to Resolve Significant Deficiencies (open access)

Information Security: Although Progress Reported, Federal Agencies Need to Resolve Significant Deficiencies

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Information security is especially important for federal agencies, where the public's trust is essential and poor information security can have devastating consequences. Since 1997, GAO has identified information security as a governmentwide high-risk issue in each of its biennial reports to the Congress. Concerned by reports of significant weaknesses in federal computer systems, Congress passed the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002, which permanently authorized and strengthened information security program, evaluation, and annual reporting requirements for federal agencies. GAO was asked to testify on the current state of federal information security and compliance with FISMA. This testimony summarizes (1) agency progress in performing key control activities, (2) the effectiveness of information security at federal agencies, and (3) opportunities to strengthen security. In preparing for this testimony, GAO reviewed prior audit reports; examined federal policies, guidance, and budgetary documentation; and analyzed agency and inspector general (IG) reports on information security."
Date: February 14, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Food-Processing Security: Voluntary Efforts Are Under Way, but Federal Agencies Cannot Fully Assess Their Implementation (open access)

Food-Processing Security: Voluntary Efforts Are Under Way, but Federal Agencies Cannot Fully Assess Their Implementation

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The events of September 11, 2001, have placed added emphasis on ensuring the security of the nation's food supply. GAO examined (1) whether FDA and USDA have sufficient authority under current statutes to require that food processors adopt security measures, (2) what security guidelines FDA and USDA have provided to industry, and (3) what security measures food processors have adopted."
Date: February 14, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Science And Technology: Air Force's Planning Process Meets Statutory Requirement (open access)

Science And Technology: Air Force's Planning Process Meets Statutory Requirement

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Congress and the scientific community are concerned that the Air Force's investment in science and technology may be too low to meet the challenges presented by new and emerging threats. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 requires the Air Force to review its science and technology programs to assess the budgetary resources currently used and those needed to adequately address the challenges and objectives. GAO found that the Air Force complied with the requirements of section 252 of the act. The Air Force established an integrated product team to identify long-term science and technology challenges and a task force to identify short-term objectives. For each challenge or objective that was identified, the Air Force established teams to identify technological capabilities needed to achieve these goals. Each team chose research projects that addressed the criteria specified in the act. The Air Force also complied with the act's process provisions. The Deputy Assistant Director for Science, Technology and Engineering is required to review the teams' results and to identify any science and technology research not currently funded."
Date: February 14, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Readiness: Impact of Current Operations and Actions Needed to Rebuild Readiness of U.S. Ground Forces (open access)

Military Readiness: Impact of Current Operations and Actions Needed to Rebuild Readiness of U.S. Ground Forces

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "U.S. military forces, and ground forces in particular, have operated at a high pace since the attacks of September 11, 2001, including to support ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Between 2001 and July 2007, approximately 931,000 U.S. Army and Marine Corps servicemembers deployed for overseas military operations, including about 312,000 National Guard or Reserve members. To support ongoing military operations and related activities, Congress has appropriated billions of dollars since 2001, and through September 2007, the Department of Defense (DOD) has reported obligating about $492.2 billion to cover these expenses, of which a large portion are related to readiness. In addition, DOD's annual appropriation, now totaling about $480 billion for fiscal year 2008, includes funds to cover readiness needs. GAO was asked to testify on (1) the readiness implications of DOD's efforts to support ongoing operations; and (2) GAO's prior recommendations related to these issues, including specific actions that GAO believes would enhance DOD's ability to manage and improve readiness. This statement is based on reports and testimonies published from fiscal years 2003 through 2008. GAO's work was conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards."
Date: February 14, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Freedom of Information Act: Processing Trends Show Importance of Improvement Plans (open access)

Freedom of Information Act: Processing Trends Show Importance of Improvement Plans

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) establishes that federal agencies must provide the public with access to government information, enabling them to learn about government operations and decisions. To help ensure proper implementation, the act requires that agencies annually report specific information about their FOIA operations, such as numbers of requests received and processed and median processing times. In addition, a recent Executive Order directs agencies to develop plans to improve their FOIA operations, including decreasing backlogs. GAO was asked to testify on the results of its study on FOIA processing and agencies' improvement plans. The draft report on the study is currently out for comment at the agencies involved (and is thus subject to change). For the study, GAO reviewed status and trends of FOIA processing at 25 major agencies as reflected in annual reports, as well as the extent to which improvement plans contain the elements emphasized by the Executive Order. To do so, GAO analyzed the 25 agencies' annual reports and improvement plans."
Date: February 14, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax Administration: IRS and TIGTA Should Evaluate Their Processing of Employee Misconduct under Section 1203 (open access)

Tax Administration: IRS and TIGTA Should Evaluate Their Processing of Employee Misconduct under Section 1203

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Section 1203 of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 outlines conditions for firing IRS employees for any of 10 acts of misconduct covering taxpayer and employee rights and tax return filing requirements. Both IRS and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) have responsibilities related to section 1203. Because of concerns that section 1203 may have a chilling effect on IRS enforcement staff's productivity, GAO (1) determined the number of section 1203 allegations, (2) surveyed IRS employee perceptions about section 1203, and (3) identified problems IRS and TIGTA face in processing section 1203 cases and the extent to which they have addressed them."
Date: February 14, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Veterans' Disability Benefits: Claims Processing Challenges Persist, while VA Continues to Take Steps to Address Them (open access)

Veterans' Disability Benefits: Claims Processing Challenges Persist, while VA Continues to Take Steps to Address Them

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, House Veterans' Affairs Committee, asked GAO to present its views on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) disability claims process. This statement discusses (1) claims processing challenges VA faces, (2) steps VA is taking to address these challenges, and (3) opportunities for more fundamental reform. GAO has reported and testified on this subject on numerous occasions. GAO's work has addressed VA's efforts to improve the timeliness and accuracy of decisions on claims, VA's efforts to reduce pending claims levels, and concerns about decisional consistency. This testimony is based on a body of past work, updated as appropriate to reflect the current workload and initiatives."
Date: February 14, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Performance and Accountability: Challenges Facing the Department of Transportation (open access)

Performance and Accountability: Challenges Facing the Department of Transportation

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Transportation (DOT) faces critical challenges in achieving its goals of ensuring the safe and efficient movement of people and goods and in making cost-effective investments in the nation's transportation infrastructure. Many of the challenges GAO identified at DOT are long-standing and will require sustained attention by the new administration and Congress. Although the Department has efforts under way to address the shortcomings of its programs, these activities have not been fully implemented. Their success will depend on a strong commitment from DOT's new leadership and a sustained effort to identify and address critical human capital issues. Finally, as they address the problems facing each of the individual components, given the myriad of demands for new resources, the new administration and Congress must think and act to ensure that their transportation decisions reflect an intermodal transportation strategy that addresses the most pressing national needs in a cost-beneficial manner. This testimony summarizes a January GAO report (GAO-01-253)."
Date: February 14, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Workforce Training: Employed Worker Programs Focus on Business Needs, but Revised Performance Measures Could Improve Access for Some Workers (open access)

Workforce Training: Employed Worker Programs Focus on Business Needs, but Revised Performance Measures Could Improve Access for Some Workers

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Although training for employed workers is largely the responsibility of employers and individuals, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) allowed state and local entities to use federal funds for training employed workers. Similarly, welfare reform legislation created Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants and gave states greater flexibility to design training services for TANF clients to help them obtain and retain jobs. To better understand how the training needs of employed workers, including low-wage workers, is publicly supported, GAO was asked to determine (1) the extent to which local areas and states provide assistance to train employed workers, including funding training; (2) the focus of such training efforts and the kind of training provided; and (3) when targeting training to low-wage workers, the approaches state and local officials identified to address challenges in training this population."
Date: February 14, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Aviation Administration: Challenges Facing the Agency in Fiscal Year 2008 and Beyond (open access)

Federal Aviation Administration: Challenges Facing the Agency in Fiscal Year 2008 and Beyond

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "FAA operates one of the safest air transportation systems in the world. It is, however, a system under strain. The skies over America are becoming more crowded every day. FAA faces the daunting task of safely integrating a growing influx of passengers and aircraft into the system and simultaneously leading the transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen)--a complicated effort to modernize the system. FAA's broad responsibilities to maintain and modernize the nation's air transportation system must be met in an uncertain budgetary and long-term fiscal environment. GAO's concerns about financing the nation's transportation system, including aviation, led GAO to designate this issue as high-risk."
Date: February 14, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard: Coast Guard Efforts to Improve Management and Address Operational Challenges in the Deepwater Program (open access)

Coast Guard: Coast Guard Efforts to Improve Management and Address Operational Challenges in the Deepwater Program

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Coast Guard's Deepwater program is a 25-year, $24 billion plan to replace or modernize its fleet of vessels and aircraft. While there is widespread acknowledgment that many of the Coast Guard's aging assets need replacement or renovation, concerns exist about the acquisition approach the Coast Guard adopted in launching the Deepwater program. From the outset, GAO has expressed concern about the risks involved with the Coast Guard's acquisition strategy, and continues to review Deepwater program management. This statement discusses (1) the Coast Guard's acquisition approach for the Deepwater program; (2) previous GAO recommendations to the Coast Guard on Deepwater, highlighting the importance of Integrated Product Teams; and (3) operational challenges the Coast Guard is facing because of performance and design problems with Deepwater patrol boats."
Date: February 14, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Public Housing: Information on Receiverships at Public Housing Authorities (open access)

Public Housing: Information on Receiverships at Public Housing Authorities

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "About 3,000 public housing authorities--state, county, and municipal agencies--develop and manage low-income housing in cooperation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Since 1979, 15 housing authorities have been placed in the hands of receivers' outside parties designated to manage the authorities during a specific period of time, usually several years. GAO was asked to identify the circumstances that led to receiverships, any differences in the way they operate and in their results, and the factors that have influenced the termination of receiverships."
Date: February 14, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Highway Infrastructure: FHWA's Model for Estimating Highway Needs Has Been Modified for State-Level Planning (open access)

Highway Infrastructure: FHWA's Model for Estimating Highway Needs Has Been Modified for State-Level Planning

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed the state-level version of the Highway Economic Requirements System (HERS-ST) model as an investment-analysis tool for highway planning at the state level. FHWA officials believe that some state departments of transportation will find the analysis that the HERS-ST model produces useful because it demonstrates the potential results of highway investment decisions from an economic point of view. FHWA is conducting a pilot project for its prototype HERS-ST model with states that volunteered to test the model. FHWA distributed to these states HERS-ST software, technical manuals, and sets of state highway data with which to run the model. FHWA then provided an overall orientation and technical training and addressed states' questions during a workshop. Officials from a sample of the states planning to participate reported that they are primarily interested in taking advantage of the model's use of benefit-cost analysis to assess alternative highway improvements. If the pilot project shows that states view the HERS-ST model as a useful tool, FHWA expects to upgrade the model for future users. In doing so, it would consider both enhancements that have already been …
Date: February 14, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare Physician Payments: Spending Targets Encourage Fiscal Discipline, Modifications Could Stabilize Fees (open access)

Medicare Physician Payments: Spending Targets Encourage Fiscal Discipline, Modifications Could Stabilize Fees

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Congress implemented a physician fee schedule and a fee update formula to moderate spending growth relative to specified Medicare spending targets. These spending targets increase annually to reflect higher costs for physician services, the growth in the overall economy, and changes in the number of Medicare beneficiaries. Physician fees are adjusted for changes in the costs of providing services and on actual cumulative spending compared to the cumulative targets. Physician fees are updated to reflect higher costs to provide services. These updates are adjusted up or down on actual spending either falling below or exceeding the targets. In November 2001, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid announced that updating Medicare's fees will decline 5.4 percent from what was paid in 2001, despite an estimated 2.6 percent increase in the cost of physician inputs. This reduction accounts for historical cumulative spending that exceeded the target by $8.9 billion, or 13 percent of estimated 2002 spending. Several factors contributed to the disparity between actual and targeted spending, including the correction of substantial errors in past spending estimates and the revision of targets for prior years. The current update mechanism could …
Date: February 14, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library