Agencies Will Check Beneficiary Lists Twice

WASHINGTON (CN) – President Obama has ordered that new policies be developed by federal agencies that distribute benefits to federal program participants to correctly identify program beneficiaries before payments are issued.     Obama’s order mandates a worst-offender-first program that focuses on identifying and eliminating the highest improper payments, increasing accountability for reducing improper payments among executive branch agencies and officials; and coordinated federal, state, and local government action in identifying and eliminating improper payments.      Like other government initiatives of the Obama administration, the new policy will require federal agencies to post their mistakes on the Internet and list the government officials responsible for determining proper payments to program beneficiaries.