US Policy Pulse

Official Fiscal Reports

• 🔥 GAO Improper Payments Audit: GAO audit reveals $186 billion in improper payments across 64 programs in FY 2025, with...

Party-line passage advances GOP budget plan: Senate approved 50-48 on April 23, no Democrats for, two Republicans against (Paul, Murkowski).

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DOGE efficiency push risks sensitive data handling tax refunds and benefits payments:

• Treasury granted DOGE employee view/copy/print access without...

• 85 F-35s requested, up from 47 in FY26 – largest buy since FY22
• Just 32 in base budget; 53 tied to $350B mandatory via unpassed reconciliation...

No Labels' Nightmare on Main Street paints a 2029 dystopia from faltering Treasury auctions.

Key warnings:

• Debt crossed $39T; FY2026 interest hits...

Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) sounded the alarm on future Medicare spending at Tuesday's House Ways and Means hearing, declaring 'And The Trust Fund Is Gone'.

Will reforms like Sen. Whitehouse's S. 3762 and CMS's WISeR AI pilot fix Medicare Advantage prior auth delays—or worsen denials?

• Standardization...

Massive waste in benefits: $186B improper payments across 64 programs/15 agencies, up $24B YoY – mostly Medicare ($57B) and Medicaid ($37B).
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Urgent 2026 changes risk SSI/SS reductions or gains—verify eligibility now:

• SSI max $994/mo via 2.8% COLA (~$56 avg), but asset limits frozen at...

Nebraska launches Medicaid work requirements for expansion enrollees—first state and 8 months ahead of federal mandate.

• 80 hours/month of work,...

Disappointing Outlook: Senior Citizens League projects 2.8% COLA for 2027, matching 2026, despite March CPI-W spike from fuel prices.

Medicare...

Fresh CBO alert on fiscal strain:

• Tariff adjustments add $1.1T to federal deficits over 10 years.
• SCOTUS blocks Trump IEEPA tariffs: $2T revenue...

North Carolina's budget strains hit Medicaid hard:

• House Bill 696 transfers $319 million from reserve to fund program through FY end, fulfilling...

Urgent bipartisan callout: Senators Collins, Cassidy, Cornyn, and Fetterman demand SSA end 6-month retro pay cap under Social Security Fairness Act,...

New Anti-Fraud Legislation and Mandates

• 🔥 Protecting American Taxpayers Act: U.S. Senator John Cornyn introduced the Protecting American...

Trend accelerating: Executive and legislative pushes to recover fraud from Medicaid and benefits.

• CMS ramps up: Oz directs states to submit 2-year...

Urgent IMF signal: Convenience yield on US Treasuries turned negative on April 15 — supply overwhelming demand, not superior safety.

• Fiscal...

Michigan warns federal work requirements from Trump's OBBBA will strain systems, risking massive coverage losses:

• $30M needed for workforce...

Empower the experts: Federal Executive Councils – led by agency CFOs, CIOs, CHCOs – spot cross-agency issues like improper payments but are...

• May 2026 shifts: SSI pays early on May 1 (Friday); SS on May 13/20/27 by birthdate.
• 2027 COLA at 3.2%? Analyst projects rise from March CPI, but...