Federal Reports

The Missouri Department of Social Services (State agency) claimed Federal Medicaid reimbursement of at least $6 million (almost $3.8 million Federal share) for unallowable targeted case management (TCM) payments during Federal fiscal years 2014 and 2015. The State agency paid TCM providers and claimed unallowable Federal Medicaid reimbursement because its policies and procedures did not ensure that those providers complied with Federal and State requirements for documenting case managers' qualifications and for documenting and claiming TCM services. In addition, the State agency did not have policies and procedures to ensure that it correctly reported, in its claims for Federal Medicaid reimbursement, TCM paid claims it had recouped from a TCM provider.

We reviewed the oversight of opioid prescribing and the monitoring of opioid use in West Virginia. This factsheet shows West Virginia's responses to our questionnaire covering five categories related to its approach to addressing the opioid epidemic: policies and procedures, data analytics, programs, outreach, and other efforts. The information in this factsheet, along with information from seven additional States, will be summarized in a report to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The OIG investigated complaints that Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA) Superintendent Christine Lehnertz, proposed a disciplinary action against a GRCA senior official for an improper purpose; created a hostile work environment; and engaged in bullying and retaliatory behavior against senior leaders, particularly male leaders, at the GRCA. The complainant also alleged that Lehnertz authorized unnecessary renovations to a park housing unit resulting in a waste of almost $180,000.We found that Lehnertz’ proposal of disciplinary action for the senior official was supported by the evidence. The senior official failed to complete several required tasks relating to a high-priority park initiative and, despite Lehnertz’ multiple requests to the official over several days to provide specific performance management information to her, the official elected not to do so and misrepresented the status of the information to Lehnertz. We found no evidence that Lehnertz created a hostile work environment at the GRCA or that she authorized unnecessary renovations to a park residence.We provided this report to the National Park Service Deputy Director Exercising the Authority of Director.

The National Security Agency Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released an unclassified version of its Audit of the Agency’s Travel Program. The OIG identified a number of concerns, including that the NSA did not adequately monitor cardholder activities, which may have permitted improper cash advances and other misuse of individually billed travel cards; the Agency did not require travel card training for travelers, managers, or authorizing officials; and the Agency’s travel management information systems are in need of modernization. The OIG made 10 recommendations to assist the NSA in ensuring that its travel program is managed appropriately and compliantly. The Agency agreed with all the recommendations, and the OIG concluded that the actions planned by Agency management met the intent of the recommendations.

This report assesses the extent to which the company has taken steps to ensure that contracting officers’ technical representatives (COTRs) conduct effective post-award contract oversight. We identified weaknesses in Amtrak’s practices related to its COTRs who should provide day-to-day oversight of a contract which includes ensuring goods and services meet contract terms, invoices reflect the goods and services provided, and contractor performance is documented. Specifically, we found that Amtrak 1) lacks standards defining COTRs’ roles and responsibilities; 2) provides limited training for COTRs; 3) does not consistently make, communicate, or track COTR assignments; and 4) does not consistently hold COTRs accountable for their performance. We recommended that Amtrak clarify and institutionalize the role of the COTR. This includes establishing contract oversight as a distinct function with defined roles and responsibilities for COTRs, providing them with training, holding them accountable for performing effectively, and better managing their assignments to ensure that the company consistently oversees contracts.

We conducted an attestation review of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Special Needs Assistance Continuum of Care, regarding drug control accounting and associated management assertions for fiscal year 2018. As required by Federal statute 21 U.S.C. 1704(d), we reviewed HUD’s Report on Drug Control Accounting, including its written assertions. Our responsibility is to express a conclusion on the subject matter or assertion based on our review. We performed review procedures on HUD’s assertions and the accompanying fiscal year 2018 Accounting of Drug Control Funding and Performance Summary reports. Based upon our review, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to HUD’s assertions or the accompanying fiscal year 2018 Accounting of Drug Control Funding and Performance Summary in order for them to be in accordance with Office of National Drug Control Policy requirements.