Federal Reports

Understanding, attracting, and retaining customers is necessary for the Postal Service to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. The OIG researched four postal customer satisfaction surveys and found that measuring customer satisfaction and loyalty provide a robust picture of brand health and growth potential. Enhancements to its surveys could give the Postal Service an even more nuanced and comprehensive view of the postal customer’s total experience.

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Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina overstated its allocable pension costs by $6.2 million for calendar years 2006 through 2012.

Companion Data Services, LLC, understated its allocable pension costs by $30,000 for calendar years 2008 through 2012.

Companion Data Services, LLC, overstated the Medicare segment pension assets by $118,000 from January 1, 2008, to January 1, 2013.

Medicare spending is expected to grow to $1.4 trillion by 2027. To control this increase and promote quality and healthy populations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has implemented and is considering a number of alternative payment models that reward providers for the quality and value of services. The goal is to incentivize providers to keep patients healthy and thus lower costs. The Medicare Shared Savings Program is one of the largest alternative payment models. As part of this program, health care providers form Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to coordinate care to reduce Medicare costs and improve quality of care. Information about the extent to which ACOs are able to reduce Medicare spending and improve quality is critical to inform future developments as ACOs and other alternative payment models evolve.