In Plain Service

  There’s been much ado about sensitive information being shared inappropriately with the public. Reality is more nuanced and troubling. Most federal agencies possess deeply ingrained political instincts that overemphasize secrecy in public statements, rely heavily on “obfuscation” as a low-cost security strategy, and suffer from consistently poor operational security (OpSec). A prime example is the Social Security Administration. On February 26, 2014, then Acting Commissioner Carolyn Colvin testified before Congress, stating: “Although there is a low level of fraud in our disability programs, no amount of fraud is tolerable.” While well-intentioned, this kind of messaging sets unrealistic expectations for the public. Fraud is a risk in any large-scale system, and every major bank accepts certain loss levels as the cost of doing business. Striving for zero fraud is noble. Pretending it’s achievable without tradeoffs is misleading. As one former CIA Director put it: “If an organizat...

  "Connecting the Dots: Data Integrity, Payment Accuracy, and the Public Trust" Good morning everyone, I’m honored to be here with so many of you working at the intersection of public service, policy, and digital transformation. Now, I’ll admit, when I told a friend I was giving a speech on “payment integrity,” they said, “That sounds... thrilling.” I said, “It’s like true crime, but with spreadsheets.” But the truth is, there is something thrilling about this work. Because every time we prevent an improper payment, we protect a veteran’s pension. A child’s healthcare. A family’s economic recovery. A taxpayer’s trust. Behind every number is a name. And behind every improper payment is a missed opportunity to deliver services better, and smarter. Let’s be real about the scope. In fiscal year 2023, the federal government made $236 billion in improper payments. That’s not a typo. That’s nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars, and it’s not an anomaly. We've seen similar numbe...