GAO Report: U.S. Pays Twice or More for Same Service

[avaistheone1]

Source: MedPage Today

WASHINGTON -- Duplication of services and lack of communication among federal agencies cost taxpayers millions, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that details a long list of redundancies, which should be easy targets for congressional cost cutters.

The report, called "Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue," examines all areas of government, from agriculture to defense, but includes small section on food safety and healthcare.

On food safety, the GAO bean counters identified 15 federal agencies that collectively oversee 30 food laws. The two main agencies are the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) -- which oversees meat, poultry, processed eggs products, and catfish -- and the FDA, which oversees everything else, including every other type of fish aside from catfish.

In its report, GAO suggested that a single agency be responsible for "all aspects of food safety at the federal level," with a separate agency in charge of food safety inspections.


Read more: http://www.medpagetoday.com/Washington-Watch/Washington-Watch/25152

[xchrom]

1. now that's the kind of intelligent reform that needs to be addressed.

my guess is this will fall into the round file.

[Frustratedlady]

4. I agree. That is "family budget" type, common sense cutting. n/t

[Traveling_Home]

2. Each one of those "duplicative" programs...

represents someone's "rice bowl".

How many Federal Workers should we be laying off?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. If it is truly duplicative...those that are no longer needed

In the USDA/FDA example, it is not clear there is duplication, just illogical allocation.

[WatsonT]

10. Exactly as many as aren't needed

to perform the necessary tasks of government.

[Zoeisright]

3. The Federal government is still more efficient than business in many areas.

Take healthcare, for example. Medicare has a 3% overhead, while insurance company murderers have a 33% or more overhead.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. Speaking from direct personal experience, no Gov agency only has 3% overhead

based on IT costs alone. Check where that number came from before you use it again.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

5. Trust me: It's not duplication of service or lack of communication...

It's deliberate.

You're welcome.

[Kolesar]

8. The bushies created duplicate food safety agencies to create confusion

...so that no department was sure that it had authority. Hence, corporations were not troubled with inspections or shut downs.

Result: food poisoning and death.

[WatsonT]

9. Consolidation, streamlining, removing redundancy

a nice way to cut spending that ought to enjoy bi-partisan support. Get the exact same stuff done for less.

Now go do it!

[MisterP]

11. well, the solution is obvious

blame the uninsured and require everyone to pay these exorbitant costs!