High-Dollar Improper Payments
Reporting Requirements
Executive Order 13520 requires the head of each agency to compile a quarterly report on any high-dollar improper payments. The Executive Order requires the agency to submit this report to the agency's IG and the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, as well as make available to the public, a report of high-dollar overpayments identified by the agency.
Part III to OMB Circular A-123, Appendix C defines a high-dollar overpayment as any overpayment made to an individual or entity in excess of 50 percent of the correct amount of the intended payment, where:
- The total payment to an individual exceeds $5,000 as a single payment or in cumulative payments for the quarter; or
- The payment to an entity exceeds $25,000 as a single payment or in cumulative payments for the quarter.
Methodology
We complete annual payment accuracy reviews from a representative sample of both Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income benefit payments, and OMB agreed that we will use that sample to identify payments that meet the criteria for high-dollar improper payment reporting.
Results
| High-Dollar Improper Payments Reports | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year | Quarter | Issue Date | Reporting Period | Number of High-Dollar Errors |
| 2010 | 3 | 7/30/10 | 4/1/10 - 6/30/10 | 0 |
| 2010 | 4 | 10/29/10 | 7/1/10 - 9/30/10 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 | 1/26/11 | 10/1/10 - 12/31/10 | 0 |
| 2011 | 2 | 4/15/11 | 1/1/11 - 3/31/11 | 0 |
| 2011 | 3 | 7/28/11 | 4/1/11 - 6/30/11 | 0 |
| 2011 | 4 | 10/26/11 | 7/1/11 - 9/30/11 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 | 1/31/12 | 10/1/11 - 12/31/11 | 0 |
| 2012 | 2 | 4/30/12 | 1/1/12 - 03/31/12 | 0 |
| 2012 | 3 | 7/19/12 | 4/1/12 - 6/30/12 | 0 |
| 2012 | 4 | 10/23/12 | 7/1/12 - 9/30/12 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 | 1/29/13 | 10/1/12 - 12/31/12 | 0 |
Since these findings are based on samples and given the vast number of cases we handle, we realize that there may be some cases with undetected high-dollar improper payments. However, we performed a similar analysis of our representative sample cases for fiscal years 2008 and 2009 and achieved similar results.