Cost of Health Care Task Force Related Activities

In January 1993, President Clinton established a task force on health care reform. Working in support of the task force were more than 600 persons, mainly permanent federal government employees from both the legislative and the executive branches, as well as consultants, special government employees, and volunteers. GAO surveyed the following 10 agencies on the costs they had incurred in connection with the task force: the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Education, Health and Human Services (HHS), Justice, Labor, the Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the White House and the Office of Management and Budget. The 10 agencies reported spending about $9.6 million on task force matters. Reported costs ranged from $43 at the Treasury to $6.4 million at HHS, although the cost information from these agencies is incomplete. None of these agencies factored in possible litigation costs, such the demand by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons for reimbursement of attorneys' fees arising from its 1993 lawsuit.