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Performance and Accountability in FY 2018

Posted on November 15, 2018
We saved the government over $75 billion—a return of about $124 for every dollar invested in us—in FY 2018. Our annual Performance and Accountability Report details our work supporting the Congress and helping improve the performance and accountability of the federal government. This year’s report highlights the money we’ve helped the government save, how we’ve helped improve federal operations, and our congressional testimonies. Today’s WatchBlog explores. Saving taxpayer money We achieved cost savings in federal agencies and programs by making recommendations to prevent payment errors, reduce fraud, and make better use of federal funds. Image Showing a Look at our FY 2018 Accomplishments For instance, our work:
  • Helped Medicaid revise spending limits for its demonstration projects (saving $36.8 billion)
  • Reduced improper payments at the Department of Health and Human Services (saving $1.9 billion)
  • Identified unobligated balances in DOD's Military Personnel accounts (saving $849 million)
Improving government operations We also helped make 1,294 other improvements to federal programs and operations. For example, our work helped:
  • Prompt Congress to direct the Veterans Health Administration to research the overmedication of veterans that led to deaths, suicides, and mental health disorders
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection better protect U.S. manufacturers and consumers from the risks of counterfeit products sold online
  • The Department of Justice and the Office of National Drug Control Policy develop results-oriented measures, such as reductions in overdose deaths, to help them assess progress in combatting the nation’s opioid epidemic
  • The Transportation Security Administration to begin to update and improve its risk assessment and strategy to secure airports and control access to restricted areas
  • The Federal Emergency Management Agency to pilot a data-sharing process with states to identify potentially duplicative disaster assistance payments
  • Congress to pass legislation to strengthen the nation’s data on elder abuse by requiring annual data collection and reporting
Advising Congress Our officials were also asked to testify in front of Congress nearly 100 times on a wide range of issues. For instance, we testified on federal efforts to assist railroads with implementing positive train control, addressing Native American youth in the justice system, key challenges for the 2020 Census, and improving the transfer and monitoring of care for unaccompanied children who enter the United States with no lawful immigration status. Photo of Susan Fleming, Director, Physical Infrastructure Team Testifying on Positive Train Control To learn more, check out our FY 2018 Performance and Accountability Report.
About Watchblog

GAO's mission is to provide Congress with fact-based, nonpartisan information that can help improve federal government performance and ensure accountability for the benefit of the American people. GAO launched its WatchBlog in January, 2014, as part of its continuing effort to reach its audiences—Congress and the American people—where they are currently looking for information.

The blog format allows GAO to provide a little more context about its work than it can offer on its other social media platforms. Posts will tie GAO work to current events and the news; show how GAO’s work is affecting agencies or legislation; highlight reports, testimonies, and issue areas where GAO does work; and provide information about GAO itself, among other things.

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