fullscreen

eFinder

eFinder

Home › Government Waste › Article

US government overpaid welfare and Medicare recipients by $186 billion last year — after a shocking surge

Nypost · · 446 words · By Chris Nesi
Government Waste Welfare Fraud Fiscal Accountability
headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing
Ready to play
Daily briefing

What to know about Government Waste

US government overpaid welfare and Medicare recipients by $186 billion last year — after a shocking surge See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 16
Techniques found 2
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left33%
Center34%
Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

US government overpaid welfare and Medicare recipients by $186 billion last year — after a shocking surge See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on GoogleThe federal government overpaid welfare and social services recipients by a stunning $186 billion in fiscal year 2025, a startling surge of $24 billion from the previous year’s total.

Common ground

According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), 15 federal agencies made up the massive improper payments overage spanning 64 programs, with approximately 82% of the overages the result of overpayments.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/25/us-news/us-government-overpaid-welfare-and-medicar…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 70% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 16 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 6
check_circle Corroborated 3
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
cancel Disputed 1
verified Verified 1
info
Claim 1: “a startling surge of $24 billion from the previous year’s total”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the $186 billion total is corroborated, the specific 'surge of $24 billion from the previous year' is mentioned in the context of the report but not independently verified by a second distinct source in the provided evidence.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States federal budget for fiscal year 2024 ran from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The negotiations for FY 2024 were particularly contentious. The 2023 United States debt-ceiling …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_federal_bud…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States federal budget for fiscal year 2025 ran from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. The federal government operated under a full-year continuing resolution passed in March 2025, whic…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_United_States_federal_bud…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit Program, also known as the Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program, is a provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by the 119th United States Congress …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Education_Freedom_Tax_…
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 2: “The GAO’s analysis comes as a fraudtask force helmed by Vice President JD Vance seeks to apply pressure to states”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While Wikipedia confirms JD Vance is the Vice President, there is no evidence in the provided search results regarding a specific 'fraud task force' he is leading to apply pressure to states.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman; August 2, 1984) is an American politician and author serving as the 50th vice president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he repres…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JD_Vance
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Usha Bala Vance (née Chilukuri; born January 6, 1986) is an American lawyer and second lady of the United States since 2025, being the wife of JD Vance, the 50th vice president of the United States. S…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usha_Vance
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — JD Vance has served as the 50th vice president of the United States since January 20, 2025, during the second presidency of Donald Trump. Vance, a member of the Republican Party who had previously ser…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice_presidency_of_JD_Vance
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
Claim 3: “The federal government overpaid welfare and social services recipients by a stunning $186 billion in fiscal year 2025”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results (including ACUS.gov and news reports) confirm that the federal government reported approximately $186 billion in improper payments for fiscal year 2025.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Us, us, uS, or US commonly refers to: Us (pronoun), the objective case of the English first-person plural pronoun we U.S., an abbreviation for the United States Us, us, uS, or US may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Us
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — us is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United States. It was established in February 1985. Registrants of us domains must be U.S. citizens, residents, or organizations – or f…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.us
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 4: “Medicaid mistakes cost $37 billion”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence mentions Medicaid improper payments in 2017 and general CMS figures for 2024, but does not provide a specific $37 billion figure for FY2025.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jan 15, 2026 ... The estimated improper payment rates for CMS' programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 are: The Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) estimated improper ...
https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/fiscal-year-2025-im…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Medicaid accounted for 26 percent of all the improper payments made by the federal government in fiscal year 2017. CMS must take proactive steps and make a ...
https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/johnson-releases-rep…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago ... FACT: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimated it made $140+ billion in improper payments in 2024 alone. What kind of a person ...
https://www.facebook.com/HHS/posts/healthcare-fraud-costs-ta…
schedule
Claim 5: “The remaining 59 programs combined made up $51 billion in improper payments”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 6: “GAO putting the total overpaid since 2003 at a staggering $3 trillion”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 7: “Recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — food stamps — received $10 billion more than they should have”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results regarding $10 billion in SNAP overpayments.
help
Claim 8: “the government doled out $21 billion for the Earned Income Tax Credit to people who didn’t deserve it”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results regarding $21 billion in improper payments for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
schedule
Claim 9: “The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program... also got $10 billion too much”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 10: “in March 2022 during the Biden administration when GAO submitted 10 matters that would enhance accountability of federal spending”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
cancel
Claim 11: “Medicare was responsible for the largest share of overpayments, according to GAO’s analysis, coming in at $57 billion”
DISPUTED
One source (Newsmax) cites the figure as $57 billion, while another source reporting on the same GAO data cites the figure as $51.1 billion.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · ... GAO report." "Medicare accounted for the largest percentage of government incorrect payments, totaling $51.1 billion." I've reported 3 fraud ...
https://www.facebook.com/HHS/posts/healthcare-fraud-costs-ta…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago · In total, the defendants caused approximately $703 million in alleged fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which paid ...
https://www.facebook.com/NEWSMAX/posts/federal-agencies-sent…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Mar 19, 2024 · A new Center for American Progress analysis finds that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are overpaid by 22 to 39 percent.
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/ending-overpayment-…
schedule
Claim 12: “As of April 2026, however, action has been taken on just one of their suggestions”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 13: “According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), 15 federal agencies made up the massive improper payments overage spanning 64 programs”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (Just The News, Newsmax, and a GAO-specific report summary) confirm that the GAO analysis involved 15 federal agencies and 64 programs.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Gao (or Gawgaw/Kawkaw) is a city in Mali and the capital of the Gao Region. The city is located on the River Niger, 320 km (200 mi) east-southeast of Timbuktu on the left bank at the junction with th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gao
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Victor Zhikai Gao (born 1962) is a Chinese lawyer, businessman, and academic who is the vice president of the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization (CCG). Gao is an expert on international …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Gao
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Education in the People's Republic of China is primarily managed by the state-run public education system, which falls under the Ministry of Education. All citizens must attend school for a minimum of…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_China
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 14: “Medicare — the second largest government program after Social Security — has a budget of nearly $1.1 trillion”
VERIFIED
The Conference Board confirms Medicare had over $1.1 trillion in total expenditures in 2024, and Wikipedia confirms it is a major mandatory expenditure alongside Social Security.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The United States federal budget consists of mandatory expenditures (which includes Medicare and Social Security), discretionary spending for defense, Cabinet ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expenditures_in_the_United_Sta…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — In 2024, the Medicare program had over $1.1 trillion in total expenditures, making it the largest health insurance program in the United States.
https://www.conference-board.org/publications/medicare-expla…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Sep 25, 2025 · Making reforms to meet the budget caps for 2014 and beyond could save at least $200 billion. Reform Medicare: Medicare spending is the largest ...
https://www.facebook.com/HooverInstStanford/posts/medicare-m…
check_circle
Claim 15: “approximately 82% of the overages the result of overpayments”
CORROBORATED
Both ACUS.gov and news reports (Just The News, Newsmax) explicitly state that approximately 82% of the improper payments were overpayments.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — In mathematics, the approximate limit is a generalization of the ordinary limit for real-valued functions of several real variables. A function f on R …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approximate_limit
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — An approximation is anything that is intentionally similar but not exactly equal to something else.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approximation
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Hobby Lobby smuggling scandal started in 2009 when representatives of the Hobby Lobby chain of craft stores received a large number of clay bullae and tablets originating in the ancient Near East.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_Lobby_smuggling_scandal
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 16: “The $186 billion figure omits certain programs... including the Department of Health and Human Services’ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which spent roughly $16.5 billion in FY2025”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.