FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988 Lifeline) is a network of independent crisis contact centers that answer calls, texts, and chats from people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The U.S. Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) set up the 988 Lifeline to connect individuals with local crisis contact centers in states and minimize the time they wait, according to officials. As of March 2026, calls are generally routed to local crisis contact centers based on callers’ approximate location. In contrast, texts and chats are routed based on individuals’ area codes or zip codes. SAMHSA plans to begin routing tex.
CABI Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits
Health and Human Services Department, Food and Drug Administration | Rule | The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying the medial knee implanted shock absorber into class II (special controls). The special controls that apply to the device type are identified in this order and will be part of the codified language for classification of the medial knee implanted shock absorber. We are taking this action because we have determined that classifying the device into class II will provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. We believe this action will also enhance patients' access to beneficial innovative devices, in part by reducing regulatory burdens.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reported approximately $1 billion in cumulative estimated improper payments—including overpayments, underpayments, and unknown payments—across the Beneficiary Travel (BT) Program from fiscal years 2018 through 2024. During that period, 10 cases of fraud related to the BT Program were adjudicated. The cases involved at least 892 fraudulent claims and totaled at least $219,000. Most of the cases involved beneficiaries that fraudulently reported addresses. VA has implemented data systems partly to mitigate fraud and improper payment risks in the BT Program. Examples include automatically verifying certain claim information before claims ca.
CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
This Scroll-Driven Narrative tells the story of how pharmaceutical companies and the federal government work together to turn ideas into innovative medical treatments. It is a companion to GAO’s report Biomedical Research: NIH Should Publicly Report More Information about the Licensing of Its Intellectual Property, GAO-21-52. This product highlights key themes from GAO’s prior work—particularly the lack of publicly available information on licensing of intellectual property developed through National Institutes of Health (NIH) research. It also highlights recommendations from GAO’s prior work and NIH efforts to implement them. For more information, contact Candice N. Wright at [email protected].
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
The Big Picture The Department of Defense (DOD) military health system provides medical care to 9.4 million beneficiaries, including service members and their families around the globe. This care is delivered through over 700 medical facilities with more than 100,000 military, civilian, and contractor employees, and a vast network of private sector health care providers. DOD estimates that it will spend over $72.5 billion for the military health system in fiscal year 2027. For more than a decade, DOD has taken actions to reform its health system in response to legislative requirements and to more effectively manage the system. For example, in response to December 2016 legislation, the Defen.
FEDE Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits
Labor Department, Workers' Compensation Programs Office | Proposed Rule | The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) provides compensation to employees for disability or death from injury arising out of and in the course of employment. Hearing loss claims constitute a significant portion of LHWCA claims, and determining the extent of hearing loss necessarily entails evaluating medical test results. The program statutes and regulations currently reference audiograms as the primary testing method and incorporate the American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment for measuring and calculating hearing impairment. The Office of Workers' Compensati.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found In May 2025, GAO identified 12 priority recommendations for the Department of Labor (DOL). Since then, DOL has implemented two of those recommendations, bringing the total to 10 priority recommendations in June 2026. GAO is highlighting the following three areas that warrant timely and focused attention: Protecting sensitive information, Enhancing unemployment insurance (UI), and Strengthening worker safety and health protections. Addressing GAO's recommendations in these areas would better ensure effective implementation of critical protections for sensitive personal information; help the agency stabilize the UI system for future economic downturns and monitor whether states.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for securing its facilities. GAO has identified security challenges at VA medical facilities and made recommendations to help manage related risks. In January 2018, for example, GAO found limitations with VA’s risk assessment methodology and recommended VA review and revise its risk management policies to reflect interagency standards and develop an oversight strategy to assess its facilities’ risk management programs. VA has not fully implemented these recommendations. In April 2026, GAO reported that its 2025 covert testing found security vulnerabilities at selected VA facilities related to security vulnerabilities that.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found In April 2025, GAO identified 9 priority recommendations for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since then, EPA has implemented one of those recommendations, bringing the total to 8 as of May 2026. GAO is highlighting the following two areas that warrant timely and focused attention: Managing the nation's air quality issues, and Protecting the nation's water quality. Addressing GAO's recommendations in these areas would allow EPA to target its resources to the highest priorities for wildfire smoke events and help EPA better position the national ambient air quality monitoring system to provide critical information for managing air quality and protecting public health..
CABI Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits
Health and Human Services Department, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services | Proposed Rule | This request for information (RFI) solicits technical input on the services and business practices of pharmacy benefit managers ("PBMs") and their affiliates to inform implementation of recent legislation. It specifically focuses on gathering information to inform two specific legislative requirements that are effective beginning calendar year 2028: restrictions on the remuneration that PBMs and their affiliates may receive for services in connection with the utilization of covered Part D drugs; and data reporting requirements.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) offers menopause care—treatments to manage symptoms of menopause—at its medical facilities through a wide array of treatment options, including medications and medical services. Primary care and gynecology providers are the key clinicians for veterans seeking to address menopause symptoms and can refer to other specialists such as mental health and physical therapy as needed. Common Menopause Symptoms To assist those providing menopause care, VHA is developing a clinical practice guideline. It is intended to provide evidence-based recommendations for providers on how to assess, diagnose, and treat m.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical facility officials are responsible for reviewing the clinical care delivered by their providers when concerns arise. GAO identified 104 providers with clinical care concerns (such as practicing in a manner that is unsafe or inconsistent with industry standards of care) at five selected VHA medical facilities between January 2020 and July 2024. GAO found these facilities did not consistently adhere to VHA policy when conducting quality reviews, or reporting providers to state licensing boards or the National Practitioner Data Bank. All five facilities also had missing or incomplete review documentation. As of March 2026, VHA has dev.
