GAO Reports

GAO Reports Reports News from the GAO http://www.gao.gov/browse/date/week Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:00:47 -0500 GAO http://www.gao.gov/images/title_object.jpg GAO logo http://www.gao.gov/ Feed provided by GAO. Click to visit. GAO-12-21, Military Child Care: DOD Is Taking Actions to Address Awareness and Availability Barriers, February 03, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-21?source=ra What GAO FoundOut-of-pocket costs for military families who use DOD-subsidized child care are largely driven by policies that vary by service. DOD establishes income-based fee ranges for on-installation child care, but each service sets its own fees and discounts within these parameters. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-126, Medicare: Lack of Price Transparency May Hamper Hospitals' Ability to Be Prudent Purchasers of Implantable Medical Devices, January 13, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-126?source=ra What GAO FoundFrom 2004 through 2009, expenditures for hospital IMD procedures increased from $16.1 billion to $19.8 billion, an increase of 4.3 percent per yeara rate equal to that of Medicare spending for other hospital procedures. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-382T, Department of Homeland Security: Additional Actions Needed to Strengthen Strategic Planning and Management Functions, February 03, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-382T?source=ra What GAO Found DHSs primary strategic planning effort in recent years has been the QHSR. In September 2011, GAO reported on the extent to which DHS consulted with stakeholders in developing the QHSR. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-436T, Arlington National Cemetery: Actions Needed to Ensure Lasting, Positive Changes in Contracting and Management, February 03, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-436T?source=ra What GAO FoundGAO identified 56 contracts and task orders that were active during fiscal year 2010 and the first three quarters of fiscal year 2011 under which contracting offices obligated roughly $35.2 million on Arlingtons behalf. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-340, Defense Logistics: Improvements Needed to Enhance Oversight of Estimated Long-term Costs for Operating and Supporting Major Weapon Systems, February 02, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-340?source=ra What GAO FoundDODs reports to Congress on estimated weapon system O&S costs are often inconsistent and sometimes unreliable, limiting visibility needed for effective oversight of these costs. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-430T, OPM Retirement Modernization: Progress Has Been Hindered by Longstanding Information Technology Management Weaknesses, February 01, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-430T?source=ra What GAO FoundIn a series of reviews, GAO found that OPMs retirement modernization efforts were hindered by weaknesses in key management practices that are essential to successful IT modernization projects. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-321R, Firms Reported in Open Sources to Have Sold Iran Refined Petroleum Products Declined Since June 30, 2010, January 24, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-321R?source=ra What GAO FoundIrans involvement in illicit nuclear activities, support for terrorism, and abuse of human rights has led the United States, as well as other nations, to impose sanctions in an attempt to curb these activities. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-208G, Designing Evaluations: 2012 Revision, January 31, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-208G?source=ra GAO assists congressional decision makers in their deliberations by furnishing them with analytical information on issues and options. Many diverse methodologies are needed to develop sound and timely answers to the questions the Congress asks. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-316R, Actions to Enforce the Iran Sanctions Act and Implement Contractor Certification Requirement, January 24, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-316R?source=ra What GAO FoundSince the fall of 2010, State has sanctioned 13 foreign firms under the ISA2 for investments in Irans energy sector and 11 for supplying refined petroleum products.State imposed various sanctions on each firm, listed 10 in EPLS making them ineligible to receive U.S. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-59, IRS Management: Cost Estimate for New Information Reporting System Needs to be Made More Reliable, January 31, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-59?source=ra What GAO FoundThe 2011 Information Reporting and Document Matching (IRDM) cost estimate, used to justify the programs projected budgets of $115 million for fiscal years 2012 through 2016, generally does not meet best practices for reliability. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-311, Homeland Defense: Continued Actions Needed to Improve Management of Air Sovereignty Alert Operations, January 31, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-311?source=ra What GAO FoundThe Air Force has not fully implemented the recommendations from GAOs 2009 report. With regard to GAOs recommendation that the military services should formally assign ASA duties to the units that consistently conduct them and ensure that the readiness of those units is fully assessed, the Air Force did so. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-255, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY: Additional Opportunities Exist to Streamline Support Functions at NNSA and Office of Science Sites, January 31, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-255?source=ra What GAO FoundSupport function costs at NNSA and Science sites for fiscal years 2007 through 2011 are not fully known because DOE changed its data collection approach beginning in 2010 to improve its data and, as a result, does not have complete and comparable cost data for all years. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-336R, Defense Infrastructure: DOD Did Not Fully Address the Supplemental Reporting Requirements in Its Energy Management Report, January 31, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-336R?source=ra What GAO FoundOur analysis showed that DODs Fiscal Year 2010 Annual Energy Management Report fully addressed two, did not address one (issue 4), and partially addressed five of the eight expanded reporting requirements. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-218, Antibiotics: FDA Needs to Do More to Ensure That Drug Labels Contain Up-to-Date Information, January 31, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-218?source=ra What GAO FoundFDA has not taken sufficient steps to ensure that antibiotic labels contain up-to-date breakpoints. FDA designates certain drugs as reference-listed drugs and the sponsors of these drugs play an important role in ensuring the accuracy of drug labels. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-154, Defense Health: Coordinating Authority Needed for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Activities [Reissued on January 27, 2012], January 25, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-154?source=ra What GAO FoundFrom fiscal year 2007 through fiscal year 2010, DOD activities for the treatment and research of PH and TBI received more than $2.7 billion. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-275R, Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act: Observations on Implementation, January 27, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-275R?source=ra What GAO FoundAccording to information provided by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and our survey of the Inspectors General (IG), five civilian agencies, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Energy, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission used the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act's (PFCRA) authorities to refer 141 cases to DOJ for approval by the Attorney General during fiscal years 2006 through 2010. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-5SP, Summary of GAO's Performance and Accountability Report Fiscal Year 2011, January 26, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-5SP?source=ra This is GAOs summary of the Performance and Accountability Report for fiscal year 2011. The Government Accountability Office, the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the Congress, exists to support the Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-51, Medicare Advantage: CMS Should Improve the Accuracy of Risk Score Adjustments for Diagnostic Coding Practices, January 12, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-51?source=ra What GAO FoundGAO found that diagnostic coding differences exist between MA plans and Medicare FFS. Using data on beneficiary characteristics and regression analysis, GAO estimated that before CMSs adjustment, 2010 MA beneficiary risk scores were at least 4.8 percent, and perhaps as much as 7.1 percent, higher than they likely would have been if the same beneficiaries had been continuously enrolled in FFS. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-161, Financial Audit: Federal Housing Finance Agency's Fiscal Years 2011 and 2010 Financial Statements [Reissued on January 26, 2012], November 15, 2011 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-161?source=ra What GAO FoundIn GAOs opinion, FHFAs fiscal years 2011 and 2010 financial statements are fairly presented in all material respects. GAO also concluded that FHFA had effective internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2011. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-402, FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ACT: Preliminary Observations on Fraud-Prevention Controls, January 25, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-402?source=ra What GAO FoundOur work to this point has identified several promising practices that could help to reduce the risk of fraud within the FECA program. The promising practices link back to fraud-prevention concepts contained in GAOs Fraud Prevention Framework and Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government, and include agencies use of full-time staff dedicated to the FECA program, periodic reviews of claimants continued eligibility, data analysis for potential fraud indicators, and effective use of investigative resources. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-272, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Risk Assessments: DHS Should Establish More Specific Guidance for Their Use, January 25, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-272?source=ra What GAO FoundSince 2004, DHSs use of its CBRN risk assessments to inform its CBRN response plans has varied, from directly influencing information in the plans to not being used at all. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-58, Capitol Police: Retirement Benefits, Pay, Duties, and Attrition Compared to Other Federal Police Forces, January 24, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-58?source=ra What GAO FoundUSCP generally has enhanced retirement benefits, a higher minimum starting salary, and a wider variety of protective duties than other federal police forces in the DC metro area that GAO reviewed, but has similar employment requirements. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-374T, Arlington National Cemetery: Actions Taken and Steps Remaining to Address Contracting and Management Challenges, January 25, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-374T?source=ra What GAO FoundGAO identified 56 contracts and task orders that were active during fiscal year 2010 and the first three quarters of fiscal year 2011 under which contracting offices obligated roughly $35.2 million on Arlingtons behalf. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-110SP, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education: Survey of Federal Programs (GAO-12-110SP, January 2012), an E-supplement to GAO-12-108, January 20, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-110SP?source=ra This E-supplement is a companion to our report entitled "Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education: Strategic Planning Needed to Better Manage Overlapping Programs across Multiple Agencies," GAO-12-108. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500 GAO-12-108, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education: Strategic Planning Needed to Better Manage Overlapping Programs across Multiple Agencies, January 20, 2012 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-108?source=ra What GAO FoundIn fiscal year 2010, 13 federal agencies invested over $3 billion in 209 programs designed to increase knowledge of STEM fields and attainment of STEM degrees. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0500