PIIA Reform Act
Sponsored By: Representative Meuser
Introduced
Summary
Overpayment Czar would lead a government-wide push to find, prevent, and fix improper federal payments. The bill would also expand reporting, add penalties, and require states to adopt payment-integrity tools.
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- Federal agencies would get a Director of Improper Payment Mitigation inside the Office of Federal Financial Management to help identify and reduce improper payments. The Czar would submit annual corrective-action reports and could recommend policy changes to agency chief financial officers.
- Agencies would face a new automatic penalty for persistent noncompliance that trims an agency's highest-level administrative account by 5 percent after one year and 10 percent after two or more years. Annual reporting would also have to show progress on fraud controls and adoption of GAO fraud-risk practices.
- States and major programs would face new rules. The bill would expand the improper-payment framework to new programs with outlays above $100 million in their first three years and require states to use listed payment-integrity tools for TANF, Medicaid, SNAP, Federal-State unemployment, and WIC, certify compliance each year by September 30, and remit identified overpayments to Treasury where required.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.
Stronger checks and budget cuts for agencies
If enacted, upon enactment, agencies would have to flag more new programs as at risk for improper payments. This would include any new program with over $100 million in its first year, or over $100 million in any of its first three years within its first four years. Programs with open Inspector General recommendations would also be included, with a narrow exception after review. Starting the first fiscal year after enactment, any agency found noncompliant would have its top administrative account cut by 5% for one year of noncompliance, or 10% for two or more years. The cut would be applied in the final sequestration report.
States must use anti-fraud tools for benefits
If enacted, one year after enactment, States that get TANF, Medicaid, SNAP, unemployment, or WIC funds would have to use OMB-listed anti-fraud tools. By September 30 each year, States would send OMB a report on how they used the tools and what changed. OMB would publish the list of required tools. If a State does not use the required tools, it would have to repay the total overpayments to the Treasury.
New Overpayment Czar and agency fraud reports
If enacted, OMB would create an Overpayment Czar to help agencies find and stop improper payments and fraud. The Czar would give the Controller a yearly report with fixes across government, and agencies would include plans to cut improper payments in their management plans. Starting with the first fiscal year after enactment and for 9 more years, each agency would also report to Congress each year on fraud risks and controls, or note where that information is already in its financial statements.
Broader Do Not Pay data checks
If enacted, the bill would remove the 3-year limit and allow broader, ongoing Social Security data sharing for the Do Not Pay system. Agencies could use it for authorized checks to stop improper payments. This would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Meuser
PA • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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