FedStigate

Postal Service food drive set for May 11

The National Association of Letter Carriers' annual food drive is set for Saturday, May 11. While delivering mail, "letter carriers will pick up canned goods and other non-perishable food left by customers in marked bags," a press release from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General said.

Last year, the event raised more than 70 million lbs. of food, the Postal Service said.

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UPDATED 21:41 PM EDT, April 1, 2013

Most lobbyists gave proper paperwork, watchdog says

Most lobbyists in Washington, D.C. provided the proper paperwork allowing a disclosure of financial records and helping to keep the lobbying process as transparent as possible, said a report by the Government Accountability Office, Congress' watchdog arm.

97 percent of lobbyists produced documentation of their income and expenses, while 74 percent properly rounded those reports to the nearest $10,000 investigators said. 85 percent also filed federal political campaign reports as required.

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UPDATED 18:45 PM EDT, April 1, 2013

Vermont first state to publish health insurance rates under new law

By WILSON RING, Associated Press

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont has become the first state to let people without health insurance see how much they would pay to get coverage through the federal health overhaul beginning next year.

The state released proposed rates Monday. Examples show that a family of four with an annual income of $32,000 would pay $45 a month out of pocket. A single person making $40,000 would pay $317 a month.

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UPDATED 11:50 AM EDT, April 1, 2013

U.S. Army gets into the April Fools' Day spirit

The U.S. Army is training military cats, hoping they will be a cheaper alternative to dogs that conduct drug-sniffing operations.

Or so that's the claim in a news post celebrating April Fools' Day.

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UPDATED 17:23 PM EST, March 6, 2013

Four men wanted for taking almost $1 million from Medicaid

The Health and Human Services Department has added four Ohio men to their list of most wanted fugitives for taking $970,000 from Medicaid according to investigators at the HHS Office of Inspector General.

The four men created what appeared to be six different ambulette companies for transporting people, but the six companies coordinated all their efforts, acting as a single company. One man was convicted, but fled before going to prison. The other three fled prior to their trial.

Investigators believe the men are currently residing in Sudan.

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UPDATED 10:11 AM EST, March 6, 2013

Improvements made to pension planning, report says

Many private pensions are working on reforms to make sure their programs remain solvent and funded, said a report from the Government Accountability Office, although it sometimes means reduced benefits for retirees.

Investigators had expressed concern that the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation might be libel for plans that would exceed the amount it has available to pay in assets.

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UPDATED 10:56 AM EST, March 5, 2013

Ongoing issues at veterans' medical centers, watchdog says

The Veterans Affairs Department found several issues at two medical facilities after an evaluation by the department's Office of Inspector General.

At the Hampton VA Medical Center in Virginia, four out of the ten patients on the "high risk for suicide list" did not receive weekly mental health evaluations, investigators said. 11 other patients not at high risk for suicide also did not receive timely medical follow-ups, the inspector general said.

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UPDATED 16:19 PM EST, February 25, 2013

Review finds one foreign firm with ties to both U.S. and Iran

A review of foreign businesses contracting with the U.S. government found one firm was also doing work in Iran's energy sector, violating an international embargo designed to put pressure on stopping the Middle East nation from furthering its nuclear program, said the Government Accountability Office, Congress' watchdog arm.

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UPDATED 16:22 PM EST, February 19, 2013

After 20 years, postal barcodes are changing

Virtually the same for 20 years, the U.S. Postal Service has changed the barcodes it uses to help deliver mail.

The POSTNet, used for the last 20 years, was replaced Jan. 28 by the Basic-Service Intelligent Mail, or IMb, barcodes. The postal service hopes that businesses who use the basic service will eventually switch to full-service IMb's.

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UPDATED 14:46 PM EST, February 15, 2013

Agencies can better track sex offenders, investigators say

Several federal law enforcement agencies track travel information on registered sex offenders when they are entering the United States, but there is less rigorous oversight when those individuals leave the U.S., said a report by the Government Accountability Office, Congress' watchdog agency.

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