Federal Reports

See the additional details link below for the full report, report summary, multimedia or any agency follow-up.

Our objective was to determine whether the Social Security Administration (SSA) was paying correct benefits to Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance child beneficiaries entitled under more than one parent's record.

I. PREDICATIONThe United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (OIG), received a Congressional request dated August 7, 2020, regarding Postmaster General Louis DeJoy (DeJoy). Members of Congress requested the OIG examine, in part, DeJoy's compliance with ethics requirements. Specifically, the letter asked, "[c]onsidering that 'DeJoy and his wife, ... who is [President Trump's] nominee to be the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, own $30.1 million to $75.3 million in assets in Postal Service competitors or contractors, like UPS and the trucking company J.B. Hunt,' has DeJoy met all ethics requirements regarding disclosure, divestment, and recusal from decisions in which he may have a conflict?" (Exhibit 1 ).II. SYNOPSISThe investigation revealed DeJoy met all applicable ethics requirements related to disclosure, recusal, and divestment upon entering the position of Postmaster General. The Special Inquiries Division (SID) reviewed documentation obtained from the Postal Service, the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), and DeJoy's investment firms. SID additionally conducted interviews with Postal Service ethics officials, other Postal Service employees, and with staff from DeJoy's investment firms. SID also analyzed federal ethics regulations in consultation with the OIG's Office of General Counsel.

Under the home health prospective payment system (PPS), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services pays home health agencies (HHAs) a standardized payment for each 60-day episode of care that a beneficiary receives. The PPS payment covers intermittent skilled nursing and home health aide visits, therapy (physical, occupational, and speech-language pathology), medical social services, and medical supplies. Our prior audits of home health services identified significant overpayments to HHAs. These overpayments were largely the result of HHAs improperly billing for services to beneficiaries who were not confined to the home (homebound) or were not in need of skilled services.