KOSEN 한인과학기술자네트워크

Through the end of fiscal year 2000, RECP has received 7,819 applications for compensation. Roughly equal numbers of applications have been approved and denied, awarding compensation to about 46 percent of the claimants and denying compensationto about 46 percent. Approximately 8 percent of the applications were still pending at the time of our analysis. RECA claims are most frequently denied because the disease contracted by the victim is not specifically designated as eligible for compensation under the RECA program. Treasury paid $245.1 million in compensation to 5,150 victims or their survivors, but later awards were not paid by the end of fiscal year 2000 because the money in the Trust Fund was depleted. Subsequently, funds were appropriated to pay these claims. Although lack of funds may have prevented timely payment of compensation in some cases, RECP generally processed claims in a timely fashion. RECP case histories data showed that 89 percent of the claims were processed within the mandated 12months. According to RECP officials, the remaining claims were not processed in a timely fashion because of mitigating circumstances. For example, rather than denying a claim in certain situations, RECP allowed a claimmant extra time to find documentation to substantiate his or her claim, which delayed adjudication of the case. The costs for administering RECP have fluctuated from the first full year of program implementation, fiscal year 1993, through fiscal year 2000. For example, administrative costs were $2.1 million in fiscal year 2000. For example, administrative costs were $2.1million in fiscal year 2000. Full-time equivalent (FTE) staff levels have ranged from 15.4 in fiscal year 1994 to 10.4 in fiscal year 1999. DOJ has procedures in place to certify that funds are appropriately disbursed from the Trust Fund. Our review of the payment documentation for 30 randomly selected RECA cases, where compensation was awarded, indicated that all payments were made as authorized.