[Federal Benefit Programs for the Elderly--Over 40 Percent of the Federal Budget: A Complex Maze]

GAO discussed the inventory it compiled of federal benefit programs for the elderly and noted that: (1) there are over 90 programs relating to the elderly, representing over 40 percent of the federal budget; (2) these programs consist of needs-based or insurance-based programs under the general categories of medical, cash, services, food, and housing; (3) 30 percent of Americans receive benefits from these programs; and (4) federal obligations for programs related to the elderly total over $370 billion anually and will remain at about 44 percent of national budget obligations through fiscal year 1987. GAO also discussed problems with the verification procedures agencies use to determine eligibility for program benefits, specifically: (1) differences among programs in defining income and resources; (2) state and local agency requirements which add to the caseworker's load; (3) differences among the programs in staff and resources available for verification work; and (4) frequency of verification requirements, particularly for those elements subject to frequent change, such as income and family composition. GAO found a great variation among agencies in the types and quality of verification data they collected and suggested that if they would accept client verification data from each other, it could result in savings in time and money for the agencies and their clients.