OMB POLICY STATEMENTS
OMB Reports $98 Billion In Improper And Wasteful Payments in FY' 2009
The federal government made $98 billion in improper payments in fiscal 2009, and President Obama will issue an executive order in coming days to combat the problem, according to a report recently issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget. The 2009 total for improper payments -- from outright fraud to misdirected reimbursements due to factors such as an illegible doctor's signature -- was a 37.5 percent increase over the $72 billion in 2008, according to figures provided by Peter Orszag, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Orszag said the executive order will promote transparency, strengthen accountability and provide incentives to improve the government payment process, Orszag said. "Our goal is to make sure the right person or entity gets the right amount at the right time," he said.