The House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations held a hearing on Thursday, March 31, 2022, “Follow the Money: Tackling Improper Payments.” The purpose of the hearing was “to examine the recent growth in agency improper payments and identify ways the federal government can tackle fraud, waste, and abuse in government programs without putting undue burden on the individuals and small businesses who rely on them.”

The committee stated improper payments, which include “any payment made by the government in the incorrect amount or to the wrong person,” have increased in recent years, reaching $281 billion in Fiscal Year 2021. These improper payments are described as signs of fraud, waste, and abuse, as well as underpayments made to Medicaid and Medicare recipients and overpayments made to government contractors.

The hearing sought ways for the federal government to evolve its approach to mitigate these issues and examine strategies the federal government can adopt to better address improper payments. The hearing touched on “the use of modern IT practices like automation and data sharing to proactively prevent improper payments before they happen, and balancing the federal government’s mandate to reduce improper payments and deliver government services that all qualifying people and businesses can access.”

Panelists included Parker Gilkesson, Senior Policy Analyst, Income and Work Supports, The Center for Law and Social Policy; Rachel Greszler, Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation; Adrian Haro, Chief Executive Officer, The Workers Lab; Scott Jensen, Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of External Affairs, Research Improving People’s Lives, Former Director, Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training; and, Linda Miller, Principal, Advisory Services, Grant Thorton, Former Deputy Executive Director, Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Former Assistant Director, Government Accountability Office.