Federal Reports

The State agency complied with the requirements of the Social Security Act when it received a credible allegation of fraud by its Medicaid providers.

This spring edition of the Semiannual Report to Congress covers OIG activities from October 2016 through March 2017. Historically, about 80 percent of OIG's resources are directed to work related to Medicare and Medicaid. This is mirrored in the organization and content of the report.

The Office of Inspector General (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 Units' adherence to the 12 MFCU performance standards and compliance with applicable Federal statutes and regulations.

During this period, we completed 43 investigations involving fraud or corruption related to the Department’s programs and operations, securing more than $59.7 million in settlements, restitutions, fines, recoveries, forfeitures, and savings. In addition, as a result of our investigative work, criminal actions were taken against a number of people, including school officials and service providers who cheated the students they were in positions to serve. We also issued 15 audit and other reports that contained recommendations to improve program operations.

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

Audit Report

The report summarizes the FTC OIG’s activities and accomplishments during the first half of the FY 2017 reporting period.

The report highlights a continuing process that results in a majority of regular area development obligations at the end of the fiscal year and unobligated funds

This is a joint review between the DOJ and DOS OIGs. To see a short video summarizing its findings, please click the link below.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a performance audit to determine if the United States Capitol Police (USCP or Department) established adequate internal controls and processes for ensuring compliance with Department policies as well as complied with applicable policies and procedures, laws, regulations, and best practices. The scope included controls, processes, and operations surrounding the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) program during Fiscal Years (FYs) 2015, 2016, through January 2017.

We found that MEPD adequately ensured that financial assistance recurring administrative expenses were reasonable, necessary, and adequately supported. For the nine plans we reviewed, MEPD auditors properly assessed multiemployer plans’ administrative expenses and processed recurring financial assistance requests. However, we identified two opportunities where MEPD could strengthen data quality and monitoring to ensure recurring administrative expenses for financial assistance are necessary and reasonable. These opportunities do not constitute formal audit recommendations.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (State agency) did not always ensure that allegations and referrals of abuse and neglect for children in foster care covered by Title IV-E of the Act were recorded and investigated in accordance with Federal and State requirements. Of the 100 reported cases of abuse and neglect that we reviewed, 54 were investigated in accordance with Federal and State requirements. Of the remaining 46 cases (12 cases had more than 1 issue), we found that the State did not (1) submit 17 investigation reports for supervisory approval within 30 days as required or (2) ensure, in 41 cases, that investigators and their supervisors conducted and documented interim meetings within 20 days as required.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Act of 1933 and TVA Standard Programs and Processes 04.0, Management of the TVA Supply Chain Process, require that any contract action in excess of $25,000 be competed unless the contract action on a noncompetitive basis is properly justified and approved. To ensure compliance with these requirements, we scheduled an audit to determine if TVA's non-competed contracts are (1) identified in TVA systems and (2) executed in accordance with TVA policies and procedures. We determined non-competed contracts are executed in accordance with TVA policies and procedures. However, identification and classification of non-competed contracts in TVA's Maximo system could be improved. We also noted improvements could be made in the maintenance and retention of contract file documents.

Biosafety and biosecurity incidents at laboratories involving select agents and toxins have raised concerns regarding how CDC's Division of Select Agents and Toxins (DSAT) oversees entities that handle select agents and toxins, as well as the potential impact to public health and safety. For instance, in May 2015, the Department of Defense acknowledged that one of its laboratories inadvertently shipped live anthrax-causing bacteria. This event helped spur a July 2015 congressional hearing on oversight concerns related to the Federal Select Agents Program (FSAP). This data brief will help strengthen the FSAP by providing new analyses that DSAT can use to enhance its oversight. It is intended to complement the 2015 Annual Report of the Federal Select Agent Program, which was issued in June 2016, as well as the forthcoming 2016 annual report, which is expected to be issued in June 2017.

We reported that Wyandanch took corrective actions that should be sufficient to remediate all previously reported Title I-relevant findings included in audit reports issued from July 1, 2005, through December 31, 2015.

The Office of the Inspector General conducted a review of the Human Resources Business Office and Ombudsman (HRBO) to identify strengths and risks that could impact HRBO's organizational effectiveness. Our evaluation identified strengths within HRBO related to (1) organizational alignment, (2) leadership, (3) teamwork/collaboration, (4) direct management support, and (5) relationships with customers. However, we also identified risks that could impact the effectiveness of HRBO to contribute to the overall mission of the Chief Human Resources Office. These risks are (1) noncompliance with Equal Employment Opportunity regulations and (2) employee engagement.

The Office of the Inspector General conducted a review of Learning, Growth, and Management (LG&M) to identify strengths and risks that could impact LG&M's organizational effectiveness. Our evaluation identified strengths within the LG&M organization related to (1) organizational alignment, (2) collaboration within the departments, (3) LG&M management support of employees, and (4) positive relationships with other organizations. However, we also identified employee engagement risks related to management communication and morale that, if left unaddressed, could stifle the maturity of LG&M programs and negatively affect the ability of LG&M to contribute to the mission of the Chief Human Resources Office. Specifically, some individuals mentioned (1) communication issues related to perception of having unproductive meetings and the need for communicating through direct supervisors prior to communicating to other levels of management and (2) low morale due to potential workload fatigue, which affected employee development opportunities.

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

In the future, Medicare could save millions if the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeks legislation to eliminate the lump-sum payment option and requires all power mobility devices (PMDs) be provided to beneficiaries on a monthly rental basis.

The Office of Inspector General examined cost, schedule, and other issues related to construction of test stands in Huntsville, Alabama, that will be used to test fuel tanks for NASA's new heavy lift rocket known as the Space Launch System.