When health care costs comes up - THIS

[ThirdWorldJohn]

This should be right out up front in the politicians faces. Both parties. Shaken signs right up as close to their noses as the law allows.

On the Net:

Copies of two recent GAO report on card abuses can be found at:

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04737.pdf

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04717t.pdf

VA credit-card charges under review
Updated 4/6/2008 10:25 AM | Comments 56 | Recommend 13 E-mail | Save | Print | Subscribe to stories like this

By Hope Yen, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON — Veterans Affairs employees last year racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in government credit-card bills at casino and luxury hotels, movie theaters and high-end retailers such as Sharper Image and Franklin Covey — and government auditors are investigating, citing past spending abuses.

At least 13 purchases totaling $8,471 were charged at Sharper Image, a specialty store featuring high-tech electronics and gizmos such as robotic barking dogs. In addition, 19 charges worth $1,999.56 were made at Franklin Covey, which sells leather totes and planners geared toward corporate executives.

Many of the 14,000 VA employees with credit cards, who work at headquarters in Washington and at medical centers around the nation, also spent tens of thousands of dollars at Wyndham hotels in places such as San Diego, Orlando, and on the riverfront in Little Rock One-time charges ranged up to $8,000.

On at least six occasions, employees based at VA headquarters made credit card charges at Las Vegas casino hotels totaling $26,198.

Report Details Fraud and Abuse at TVA

A two-year review by the inspector general's office at the Tennessee Valley Authority finds that staffers made millions of dollars of questionable purchases on credit cards provided by the government-backed corporation.

Staffers spent more than $360,000 over two years on electronic items including X-Boxes and TiVos for an employee awards program and made questionable purchases of alcohol, beer and wine for training sessions and other meetings, despite TVA's policy against consumption during such events. Others purchased software to "erase evidence of Internet usage," according to the report.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2009/03/tva.html