According to federal government estimates, the Medicaid program made $99 billion in improper payments during 2021. This amounts to 22% of the program's outlays and $760 per U.S. household. An improper payment is "any payment that should not have been made or that was made in an incorrect amount (including overpayments and underpayments)." Per the U.S. Government Accountability Office: "Once fraudulent or improper payments are made, the government is likely to only recover pennies on the dollar."