High-Risk Program

This report contains additional information on 12 areas included in GAO's list of government programs at high risk for waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement: defense inventory management, Medicare, supplemental security income, information security, contract management at the Department of Energy, student financial aid, air traffic control modernization, NASA contract management, Customs Service financial management, farm loan programs, National Weather Service modernization, and asset forfeiture programs. It includes descriptions of key open GAO recommendations relevant to each area, the implementation status of those recommendations, and remaining challenges to addressing these high-risk problems. Where possible, GAO has identified the federal dollars involved with each program and discusses federal dollars at risk from abusive or wasteful practices.

GAO noted: (1) descriptions of key open GAO recommendations relevant to each area; (2) the implementation status of those recommendations and why they have not been fully implemented; (3) remaining challenges to addressing high-risk problems; (4) the federal dollars involved with each program or area; (5) the federal dollars at risk from abusive or wasteful practices; and (6) the estimated savings that might be attained or the costs that could be avoided if specific changes were made in these areas.