Improper Payments: USDA's Oversight of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

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The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report on the oversight of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The report highlights the issue of improper payments, which have been a concern in the federal government for many years. In fiscal year 2023, estimates of improper payments for SNAP totaled almost $236 billion, with an increase from the previous year. The report discusses the steps taken by the USDA to estimate and address improper payments, including the use of external audit reports and the development of corrective action plans. It also mentions recent efforts to provide improved tools and technical assistance to states. The document emphasizes the distinction between improper payments and fraud, and highlights the importance of compliance with the Payment Integrity Information Act. Proposed changes to improve the SNAP quality control system are also mentioned. [Extracted from the article]

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