Federal Reports

When Congress established average sales price (ASP) as the basis for Medicare Part B drug reimbursement, it also provided a mechanism for monitoring market prices and limiting potentially excessive payment amounts. The Social Security Act mandates that OIG compare ASPs with average manufacturer prices (AMPs). If OIG finds that the ASP for a drug exceeds the AMP by a certain percentage (currently 5 percent), the Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to substitute the ASP based payment amount with a lower calculated rate. Through regulation, CMS outlined that it would make this substitution only if the ASP for a drug exceeded the AMP by 5 percent in the 2 previous quarters or 3 of the previous 4 quarters.

OIG administers the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU or Unit) grant awards, annually recertifies the Units, and oversees the Units' performance in accordance with the requirements of the grant. As part of this oversight, OIG conducts periodic reviews of all Units and prepares public reports based on these reviews. These reviews assess the Units' adherence to the 12 MFCU performance standards and compliance with applicable Federal statutes and regulations.

This is our final audit report on the effectiveness of NOAA real property management. Specifically, we assessed whether NOAA has an adequate understanding of its repair needs and is monitoring real property utilization.

We performed this audit to determine whether NARA's FOIA process was efficient, effective, and complied with current laws and regulations. We also assessed internal controls in place to ensure NARA responded to FOIA requests timely and accurately.

Of the $10.0 million in Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grant funds that the Administration for Children and Families awarded to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMT) for Federal fiscal years 2010 through 2013, TMT did not administer LIHEAP grant funds totaling $587,248 in compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance. In addition, TMT could not determine whether an additional $96,932, which home energy suppliers had returned to the tribe, was subject to repayment because it did not track from which grant period those additional funds originated. TMT is a federally recognized Native American tribe located in North Dakota. The errors we identified occurred because TMT did not have policies and procedures or internal controls in place to prevent them.

In this classified report, we identified vulnerabilities with TSA's screener performance, screening equipment, and associated procedures. Details related to our testing results presented in the report are classified or designated Sensitive Security Information. We are making eight recommendations that when implemented, should improve TSA's screening checkpoint operational effectiveness.