Computer Matching: Quality of Decisions and Supporting Analyses Little
Affected by 1988 Act (Chapter Report, 10/18/93, GAO/PEMD-94-2).

Government agencies have turned to computer matching in recent years in
an attempt to stem waste, fraud, and abuse in federal benefit programs.
Computer matching has two main goals: to establish and verify applicant
and recipient eligibility for federal benefits and to recoup payments
and delinquent debts under these programs. Although these agencies have
justified their efforts by citing billions of dollars in projected
savings, they have often lacked data and analyses to back up these
claims.  To provide improved analyses of these programs and to protect
individuals' privacy, Congress passed the Computer Matching and Privacy
Protection Act of 1988.  This report examines how agencies have
implemented the law.  GAO identified 71 computer-matching programs at 14
federal agencies, involving 447 separate matching agreements.  GAO
reviewed 277 of these agreements in depth to determine whether they
included elements required under the act.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  PEMD-94-2
     TITLE:  Computer Matching: Quality of Decisions and Supporting 
             Analyses Little Affected by 1988 Act
      DATE:  10/18/93
   SUBJECT:  Computerized information systems
             Internal controls
             Information systems analysis
             Federal agencies
             Fraud
             Data integrity
             Information dissemination operations
             Program management
             Cost effectiveness analysis
             Eligibility determinations
IDENTIFIER:  Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program
             AFDC
             SSA State Data Exchange File
             SSA Beneficiary and Earnings Data Exchange System
             
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