Paper by National Academy of Public Administration: “Improper payments and fraud cost the federal government hundreds of billions of dollars each year, wasting taxpayer money and eroding public trust. At the same time, agencies are increasingly expected to do more with less. Finding better ways to share data, without compromising privacy, is critical for ensuring program integrity in a resource-constrained environment.
Key Takeaways
- Data sharing strengthens program integrity and fraud prevention. Agencies and oversight bodies like GAO and OIGs have uncovered large-scale fraud by using shared data.
- Opportunities exist to streamline and expedite the compliance processes required by privacy laws and reduce systemic barriers to sharing data across federal agencies.
- Targeted reforms can address these barriers while protecting privacy:
- OMB could issue guidance to authorize fraud prevention as a routine use in System of Records Notices.
- Congress could enact special authorities or exemptions for data sharing that supports program integrity and fraud prevention.
- A centralized data platform could help to drive cultural change and support secure, responsible data sharing…(More)”