Why Government Audits Miss Most Fraud

Episode 40 of Government Spending with Fexingo dives into the hidden world of improper payments. Lucas and Luna break down the annual $200-plus billion problem in US federal spending — from Medicaid overpayments to unemployment insurance fraud. They explore the structural reasons audits miss the bulk of errors, the role of outdated systems, and why simply throwing more auditors at the problem won't fix it. A concrete case: the 2023 Payment Integrity scorecard showing over $236 billion in improper payments, with recovery audit contractors clawing back only a fraction. The episode closes with a look at data-matching reforms that could change the game. No abstract theory — just the numbers, the loopholes, and what real reform would cost. #ImproperPayments #GovernmentAudit #MedicaidFraud #PaymentIntegrity #UnemploymentInsurance #FraudWasteAbuse #FederalBudget #USGovernment #AuditCulture #DataMatching #RAC #GovernmentSpending #Economics #PublicFinance #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #LucasAndLuna #GovernmentEfficiency Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo