The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this review to determine whether VA complied with the requirements of the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (IPERA) for FY 2018. Each agency’s inspector general is required to determine whether the agency is in compliance with IPERA. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123, Appendix C, “Requirements for Payment Integrity Improvement,” specifies that each agency’s inspector general annually review improper payment reporting in the agency’s Performance and Accountability Report or the Agency Financial Report (AFR) and issue a report of the agency’s compliance with IPERA…
What the Review Found
VA did not comply with IPERA because it did not satisfy two of the six requirements set forth in OMB Circular A-123, Appendix C. Specifically, VA did not:
Meet annual reduction targets for eight programs and activities—seven Veterans Health Administration (VHA) programs and activities and one Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) program1—assessed to be at risk for improper payments; and · Report a gross improper rate of less than 10 percent for seven VA programs and activities that had improper payment estimates in its FY 2018 AFR.2
VA satisfied four IPERA requirements: · Published the FY 2018 AFR on VA’s website; · Conducted program-specific risk assessments that conformed with Section 3321 of Title 31 U.S.C…
What the OIG Recommended
The OIG made one new recommendation to the Under Secretary for Health to implement steps to achieve stated reduction targets for the Communications, Utilities, and Other Rent; Medical Care Contracts and Agreements; and State Home Per Diem programs and activities.3 As reported in the OIG’s FY 2017 IPERA review, the OIG is keeping the following two recommendations to the Under Secretary for Health open due to repeat findings or ongoing issues: 1. Implement steps to achieve stated reduction targets for CHAMPVA; Purchased LongTerm Services and Supports; Supplies and Materials; and VA Community Care programs and activities. 2. Develop a timeline to reduce improper payments under the 10 percent threshold for the Beneficiary Travel; Communications, Utilities, and Other Rent; Medical Care Contracts and Agreements; Prosthetics; Purchased Long-Term Services and Supports; Supplies and Materials; and VA Community Care programs and activities…
Read the full 40-page report here.
Source: VA’s Compliance with the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act for FY 2018 – June 3, 2019. VA OIG.
