Priority Open Recommendations: Department of Health and Human Services
Fast Facts
Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help the federal government save money, address issues on our High Risk List, and significantly improve government operations.
This letter to the Department of Health and Human Services outlines 35 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, HHS should complete a comprehensive, national risk assessment of the potential for improper payments in the Medicaid program.
HHS implemented 7 recommendations we identified as a priority last year, and we closed 5 recommendations as no longer valid.
We regularly update priority recommendations here.
Highlights
What GAO Found
In May 2023, GAO identified 45 priority recommendations for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS has implemented seven of those recommendations. For example, it has taken steps to help bolster domestic production of medical supplies and to incorporate expert feedback on COVID-19 data collection to support future public health emergency responses.
In addition to the seven priority recommendations HHS implemented, GAO closed five priority recommendations related to the collection of more complete data on certain pandemic cases, the development of a national COVID-19 testing strategy, and the establishment of plans and guidance for the Biodefense Coordination Team because they were no longer valid. GAO also removed three priority recommendations related to Medicare self-referred advanced imaging services because they no longer warranted priority attention. Although these recommendations no longer warrant priority attention, GAO continues to believe that they should be addressed.
In May 2024, GAO identified five additional priority recommendations, bringing the total number of open priority recommendations to 35.
These recommendations involve the following seven areas:
- Public health emergency preparedness, including the COVID-19 response;
- Public health and human services program oversight;
- Food and Drug Administration oversight;
- Medicaid program;
- Medicare program;
- Improper payments in Medicaid and Medicare; and
- Health care infrastructure, information technology, and cybersecurity.
Implementing these priority recommendations could help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of key federal health care programs and funding.
Why GAO Did This Study
Priority recommendations are the GAO recommendations that have not been implemented and warrant attention from heads of key departments or agencies because their implementation could save large amounts of money; improve congressional or executive branch decision-making on major issues; eliminate mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or ensure that programs comply with laws and funds are legally spent, among other benefits. Since 2015, GAO has sent letters to selected agencies to highlight the importance of implementing such recommendations.
For more information, contact Jessica Farb at (202) 512-7114 or FarbJ@gao.gov.