We're pleased to present the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee's (PRAC) Semiannual Report to Congress, which highlights our accomplishments between October 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. It has now been more than three years since the creation of the PRAC, and we, along with our 20 Inspectors General, remain committed to fulfilling our mission of effectively overseeing more than $5 trillion in federal pandemic relief funds.
This report shows the impact of our innovative approach to overseeing historical levels of emergency government spending and fighting pandemic relief fraud. During the reporting period, 19 different federal Inspectors General issued 50 reports with 101 recommendations to improve the federal government’s response to the pandemic.
Here’s a summary of our accomplishments from October 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023.
“The PRAC and the broader oversight community continue to provide critical insights on high-impact areas and strengthen our partnerships and collaboration. All this work helps identify fraud, waste, and abuse in the present while creating a blueprint for helping prevent it in the future.”
Michael E. Horowitz, PRAC Chair
Identified billions of dollars in potential fraud.
In January 2023, we issued a Fraud Alert that explained how the PACE and its team of data scientists identified more than 69,000 questionable Social Security Numbers that were used to obtain $5.4 billion in potentially fraudulent loans intended for small businesses.
Read more about this potential fraud in the full report (pdf).
Generated high-impact, cross-agency insights.
In December 2022, we released our report on the impact of expanded telehealth and its use across health benefit programs administered by six different federal agencies. The report shows how expanded use of telehealth during the pandemic helped individuals access health care during a crisis but raises awareness about certain risks in the programs, such as duplicate claims and inappropriately billing for the most expensive level service.
Read more about our key findings in the full report (pdf).
Cultivated public interest in the future of oversight.
We identify unique events that can engage the public to get them interested in government oversight and program administration. In October 2022, we participated in a policy hackathon sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that gave 250 students from 46 different countries the opportunity to develop creative policy solutions to complex issues, such as delivering rent relief during a national crisis.
Read more about other PRAC events in the full report (pdf).
