Lance's Corner

GAO Highlights Final COVID-19 Report

Jul 31, 2025

Per the notice below, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) is highlighting its final report on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Our Final CARES Act Report About the Federal Response to COVID-19

During the pandemic, GAO was tasked by Congress to provide regular updates on the pandemic impacts, as well as audit the ongoing federal response.  GAO issued more than 200 reports and other products about COVID-19 as part of a requirement under the CARES Act.  Today’s WatchBlog post looks at our final comprehensive report under this requirement.  In this report, we looked at the continuing effects on public health and the economy, as well as the work left to do by the federal government.

What’s the status of the pandemic?

The public health emergency ended in May 2023.  But Americans are still losing their lives to COVID or feeling its economic impacts.  

Recent impacts on health.  As recently as March, about 450 deaths were linked to COVID and many more people were hospitalized with symptoms.  This marks a steep decrease from COVID's peak—where in January 2021, about 26,000 Americans were dying each week.  For many of us, catching COVID-19 might have been similar to getting the flu.  But many Americans are still struggling with “Long COVID.”  About 18% of adults in the U.S. have experienced this condition—suffering from long-term effects of COVID, like those shown below.  About 5% still experienced ongoing Long COVID as of the end of last year.

Examples of Signs, Symptoms, and Conditions Associated with Long COVID

Graphic showing symptoms of Long-COVID, including respiratory issues.

Lasting impacts on the economy.  Much of our economy has bounced back from peak COVID days.  Restaurants, movie theaters, and travel have all reopened for business.  But not all areas of the economy have returned to pre-pandemic levels.  Many of us continue to see higher prices at the grocery store due to inflation.  Prices have largely declined, but as recently as March, inflation was still 2.3%.  While the job market has greatly improved since the start of the pandemic, job growth showed signs of cooling this spring.  Some labor market indicators were still trending below their pre-pandemic level.  And the unemployment rate, which while low (4.2% in March), has shown little change since a year ago.

Labor Market Trends, 2019-2025

Line graphic showing labor market trends before, during and after COVID.

What was GAO’s role during the pandemic?

In response to the pandemic, Congress appropriated $4.65 trillion in emergency assistance for people, businesses, the health care system, and state and local governments.  GAO was tasked by Congress with tracking these funds and monitoring the federal response.  And we were busy.  Among the 200 reports and other products we issued were 12 comprehensive, government-wide reviews of the federal response.  Our efforts included 484 recommendations to Congress and federal agencies on how to improve the federal response to COVID-19, as well as any future nationwide crises like it.  More than half of our recommendations have been implemented.  And our work has already led to at least $43.9 billion in financial benefits for the taxpayer.  For example, our recommendations helped save $14.8 billion by improving program integrity under small business loan programs.  This was done, in part, through the implementation of a plan to identify and respond to risks, including fraud-related risks, that we recommended.

Graphic showing impact of GAO's work under the CARES Act including $43.9 billion in financial benefits.

The work left to be done…

While the pandemic is over, we’re still following the money and looking for lessons learned.  A lot of our COVID-19 work these days looks at fraud: This work includes a recent report (and blog post) on who committed this fraud and how they did it.  And how many have been caught and prosecuted for it...so far.  As of March, nearly 1,900 people have been convicted and sentenced to prison time for defrauding COVID-19 relief programs.  The majority of those sentenced received 1-5 years.  Many of these fraudsters, as well as those who did not receive jail time, were also ordered to pay restitution.  The highest amount being over $71 million.

Prison Sentences for Defendants Found Guilty of Fraud-Related Charges Involving Pandemic-Relief Programs, as of March 31, 2025

Bar chart showing length of prison sentences for those convicted of fraud on COVID-relief programs as of March 2025.

What lessons can we carry forward?  Catching fraudsters and prosecuting them can help us understand how to prevent fraud under current programs and during future emergencies.  But there are other lessons to learn from the pandemic too.  Congress and federal agencies are uniquely positioned to take the lessons learned from the COVID-19 response and better prepare for inevitable future emergencies.  There are still 200 GAO recommendations needing action that could provide such opportunities.  Learn more about our work and the federal response to COVID-19 by checking out our final CARES Act report.

USDOL Issues Comprehensive Employer Guidance on Long COVID

The United States Department of Labor (USDOL) has issued a comprehensive set of resources that can be accessed below for employers on dealing with Long COVID.

Supporting Employees with Long COVID: A Guide for Employers

The “Supporting Employees with Long COVID” guide from the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) and Job Accommodation Network (JAN) addresses the basics of Long COVID, including its intersection with mental health, and common workplace supports for different symptoms.  It also explores employers’ responsibilities to provide reasonable accommodations and answers frequently asked questions about Long COVID and employment, including inquiries related to telework and leave.

Download the guide

Accommodation and Compliance: Long COVID

The Long COVID Accommodation and Compliance webpage from the USDOL-funded Job Accommodation Network (JAN) helps employers and employees understand strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID.  Topics include Long COVID in the context of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), specific accommodation ideas based on limitations or work-related functions, common situations and solutions, and questions to consider when identifying effective accommodations for employees with Long COVID.  Find this and other Long COVID resources from JAN, below:

Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities: Recommendations for Employers

The research-to-practice brief “Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities” synthesizes an extensive review of documents, literature and data sources, conducted by the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) on the impact of Long COVID on employment, with a focus on demographic differences.  It also outlines recommended actions organizations can take to create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture for people with Long COVID, especially those with disabilities who belong to other historically underserved groups.

Read the brief

Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace

The policy brief “Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace” explores Long COVID’s impact on the workforce and provides examples of policy actions different states are taking to help affected people remain at work or return when ready.  It was developed by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) as part of its involvement in USDOL’s State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED) initiative.

Download the policy brief

Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID

The report “Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID” summarizes key themes and takeaways from an ePolicyWorks national online dialogue through which members of the public were invited to share their experiences and insights regarding workplace challenges posed by Long COVID.  The dialogue took place during summer 2022 and was hosted by USDOL and its agencies in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Surgeon General.

Download the report

Working with Long COVID

The USDOL-published “Working with Long COVID” fact sheet shares strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID, including accommodations for common symptoms and resources for further guidance and assistance with specific situations.

Download the fact sheet

COVID-19: Long-Term Symptoms

This USDOL motion graphic informs workers with Long COVID that they may be entitled to temporary or long-term supports to help them stay on the job or return to work when ready, and shares where they can find related assistance.

Watch the motion graphic

A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure

In the podcast “A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure,” Pam Bingham, senior program manager for Intuit’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Tech team, shares her personal experience of navigating Long COVID symptoms at work.  The segment was produced by the USDOL-funded Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) as part of its ongoing “Future of Work” podcast series.

Listen to the podcast

HHS OIG Issues Annual Report on State MFCUs

Per the notice below, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued its annual report on the performance of state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs).

Medicaid Fraud Control Units Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report (OEI-09-24-00200) 

Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) investigate and prosecute Medicaid provider fraud and patient abuse or neglect. OIG is the Federal agency that oversees and annually approves federal funding for MFCUs through a recertification process. This new report analyzed the statistical data on annual case outcomes—such as convictions, civil settlements and judgments, and recoveries—that the 53 MFCUs submitted for Fiscal Year 2023.  New York data is as follows:

Outcomes

  • Investigations1 - 556
  • Indicted/Charged - 9
  • Convictions - 8
  • Civil Settlements/Judgments - 28
  • Recoveries2 - $73,204,518

Resources

  • MFCU Expenditures3 - $55,964,293
  • Staff on Board4 - 257

1Investigations are defined as the total number of open investigations at the end of the fiscal year.

2Recoveries are defined as the amount of money that defendants are required to pay as a result of a settlement, judgment, or prefiling settlement in criminal and civil cases and may not reflect actual collections.  Recoveries may involve cases that include participation by other Federal and State agencies.

3MFCU and Medicaid Expenditures include both State and Federal expenditures.

4Staff on Board is defined as the total number of staff employed by the Unit at the end of the fiscal year.

Read the Full Report

View the Statistical Chart

Engage with the Interactive Map

GAO Issues Report on Medicaid Managed Care Service Denials and Appeal Outcomes

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes.  GAO found that federal oversight is limited because it doesn't require states to report on Medicaid managed care service denials or appeal outcomes and there has not been much progress on plans to analyze and make the data publicly available.  To read the GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the first link below.  To read GAO highlights of the report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the second link below.
https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627.pdf  (GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)
https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627_high.pdf  (GAO highlights on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)

CMS Issues Latest Medicare Regulatory Activities Update

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its latest update on its regulatory activities in the Medicare program.  While dentistry is only minimally connected to the Medicare program, Medicare drives the majority of health care policies and insurance reimbursement policies throughout the country.  Therefore, it always pays to keep a close eye on what CMS is doing in Medicare.  To read the latest CMS update on its regulatory activities in Medicare, use the link below.
https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/2024-03-14-mlnc