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Food Stamp Program: Evaluation of Improper Denial or Termination Error Rates

RCED-88-12 Published: Oct 22, 1987. Publicly Released: Oct 27, 1987.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO assessed the accuracy of Maryland's and Illinois's reporting of improper denial or termination error rates under the Food Stamp Program for fiscal year (FY) 1985.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Administrator, FNS, to annually review a sample of each state's quality control reviews of denials or terminations and adjust states' reported denial or termination error rates accordingly.
Closed – Implemented
FNS regional offices have been directed to conduct negative validation reviews of each state agency covering FY 1988 and 1989.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Administrator, FNS, to examine alternatives to encourage states to reduce improper denial or termination error rates, including seeking authority to hold states financially liable for their improper denials or terminations.
Closed – Implemented
FNS issued a report to Congress in July 1990, examining alternatives to reform its negative action quality control (QC) system. The report recommended strengthening the monitoring of negative action QC review practices, encouraging states to take steps to reduce high rates of improper denial, and holding them financially liable for persistent high rates.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Administrator, FNS, to monitor states' quality control review practices to ensure that the appropriate cases are reviewed and the required number of reviews are completed on time.
Closed – Implemented
The recommended monitoring will be included in the negative validation reviews FNS regional offices will conduct for each state agency for FY 1988 and 1989.

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Topics

Administrative errorsDisadvantaged personsEligibility determinationsstate relationsProgram managementReporting requirementsState-administered programsStatistical dataQuality controlParticipation rates