Federal Reports

Mobile Infirmary Medical Center (the Hospital) complied with Medicare billing requirements for 87 of the 100 inpatient claims we reviewed. However, the Hospital did not fully comply with Medicare billing requirements for the remaining 13 claims, resulting in net overpayments of $163,104.

This report was submitted to the Comptroller General in accordance with Section 5 of the Government Accountability Office Act of 2008. The report summarizes the activities of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the six-month reporting period ending September 30, 2018. During the reporting period, we issued three audit reports, and initiated planning or fieldwork for three audits. We also closed 9 investigations and opened 12 new investigations. In addition, we processed 93 hotline complaints, many of which were referred to other OIGs for action because the matters involved were within their jurisdictions. We continue to focus on GAO management challenge areas—such as human capital management and information technology. Other continuing priorities include contract management operations and strengthening controls for ensuring the quality and reliability of GAO’s Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act) submissions. We remained active in the GAO and OIG communities by briefing new GAO employees on our audit and investigative missions, and participating on Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency committees and working groups. Details of these activities and other accomplishments are provided in the report.

The OIG investigated allegations that an Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) employee and a tribal member agreed to disguise the purchase of tribal land as a gift conveyance from the tribal member. We also investigated allegations that the OST employee attempted to add allotments to the transaction without the tribal member’s knowledge and that a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) employee forged the tribal member’s name on BIA documents filed in connection with the gift conveyance.We confirmed the OST employee and the tribal member agreed to disguise the sale of ownership interests in multiple allotments as a gift conveyance to the OST employee’s minor son. The OST employee paid the tribal member $2,700, but the tribal member canceled the transaction before it was executed. We did not find evidence that the OST employee altered the agreements to add allotments or that the BIA employee forged any documents.