Federal Reports

Inspectors General have found significant weaknesses affecting Federal programs serving American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. This report compiles information from recent Office of Inspector General (OIG) audits, evaluations, and investigations to identify vulnerabilities and breakdowns that cut across departments. CIGIE chose this area for study given the level of Federal funding and number of agencies involved, as well as the Federal Government’s special obligation to protect AI/AN interests and fund vital services. Throughout the report, we highlight examples of past OIG findings and recommendations to illustrate these common themes.

The Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Interruptible Power (IP) program implemented new products in October 2015 as part of the product redesign of TVA's demand response portfolio. We initiated this audit in response to concerns forwarded to our office regarding (1) the amount of credits provided through TVA's interruptible products and (2) whether or not these products were a cost effective way for TVA to obtain power. Our audit objective was to determine if the monetary value obtained by TVA during fiscal years 2016 and 2017 was more than the cost of providing these interruptible pricing products to customers. Our audit included interruptible product credits issued and other financial data related to interruption events for participating commercial and industrial customers from October 1, 2015, through March 31, 2017, which totaled $78.5 million. In summary, we found the monetary value obtained by TVA during fiscal years 2016 and 2017 was more than the cost of providing the interruptible pricing products introduced in October 2015 to participating commercial and industrial customers. However, we also found documentation related to the interruptible valuation is not maintained in a central location. We recommended TVA's Vice President, Pricing and Contracts, maintain all supporting documentation related to the annual interruptible valuation in a central location. TVA management agreed with the audit findings and recommendation in this report and plans to take corrective action.(Summary Only)

OIG evaluated whether the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) effectively managed providers’ primary care panels to maximize access to primary care providers by evaluating new enrollee processing into panels as well as the panel sizes. Provider panels define both VHA’s capacity to provide managed outpatient care and provider efficiency based on the number of veterans managed for primary care.In the first seven months of FY 2015, VHA had not effectively managed provider panels to maximize access. VHA facilities’ methods for processing and scheduling veterans into panels varied, and veterans encountered an average wait of 29 days from the date they enrolled until the facility scheduled their appointment. The average of 29 days was not included in VHA’s wait time calculation. VHA facilities had panels below VHA’s panel size recommendations with six of the seven facilities showing panels 13 to 30 percent below the model. This occurred because VHA lacked standard procedures for processing new enrollees, did not track the wait-time from the enrollment to scheduling, and did not ensure compliance with recommended panel sizes. As a result, VHA’s recorded wait times did not accurately reflect the wait experienced. VHA’s recorded wait time showed about 8 percent of newly enrolled veterans waited more than 30 days when OIG determined about 53 percent of newly enrolled veterans completed their first appointment more than 30 days past the determined eligibility date.Lower panel sizes equated to almost $169 million in underutilized provider salaries paid in fiscal year 2015. OIG recommended the Acting Under Secretary for Health establish standardized new enrollee scheduling procedures that properly track wait times and ensure facilities either set panel sizes at VHA’s model goals or justify deviations. The Acting Under Secretary for Health concurred with the recommendations and OIG will monitor VHA’s progress until all proposed actions are completed.

This report contains Sensitive But Unclassified information. To obtain further information, please contact the OIG Office of Counsel at OIGCounsel@oig.treas.gov, (202) 927-0650, or by mail at Office of Treasury Inspector General, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC 20220.