Tammy Sanders is being honored in Category 3: Using Innovation, Data, and Breaking Down Organizational Barriers for improving financial stewardship and strengthening oversight of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affair's Community Care program. As Program Director of Geriatrics Extended Care at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Tammy developed the Financial Integrity Resource Management (FIRM) Audit program to identify discrepancies between VA-authorized community care services and billed claims, helping ensure taxpayer dollars are spent appropriately while protecting resources for Veteran care.

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Tammy collaborated with leaders across the VA to identify gaps in existing auditing processes and develop a more proactive, data-driven approach to detecting overbilling. She is also advancing the FIRM Audit Dashboard, a centralized tool designed to automatically compare authorized care hours with submitted claims, reducing manual reviews and improving oversight. By combining technology, standardized policies, employee education, and stronger collaboration with community care vendors and third-party administrators, she has created a more efficient and transparent auditing process.

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The FIRM Audit program is delivering measurable results. While improper payments across the VA are estimated to exceed $400 million, Tammy's work has identified more than $400,000 in overbilling across VA Central, South, and West Texas, with more than $46,000 recovered during initial pilot testing. The program also reduces administrative burdens for employees, allowing staff to focus more time on Veteran care while improving compliance and accountability. Designed to be scalable across the VA, Tammy's innovation provides a replicable model for protecting public resources and strengthening community care services for Veterans.