Federal Reports

The Office of Inspector General released a report examining NASA's financial investments in 60 institutes that conduct research, review and analyze scientific data, develop equipment and technologies, and leverage knowledge.

To see our report, click on the link below

We reviewed the effectiveness of PBGC’s governance of internal control, with emphasis on the entity-wide risk assessment and resulting impact on PBGC’s internal control testing according to applicable laws, regulations and guidance. We found information and communication within PBGC’s internal control framework could be improved if the Internal Control Committee’s responsibilities were clarified and fulfilled. We further found that opportunities exist to improve PBGC’s process for conducting risk assessments and using the results. Finally, opportunities exist to improve PBGC’s processes regarding the preparation of the annual assurance statements over internal control.PBGC agreed to take actions on all recommendations by November 2017.

Attention to U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) management challenges could result in stronger results and protection for the public, and increased confidence in management integrity and accountability.

Our ongoing audit of FDA's food recall program found that FDA did not have an efficient and effective food recall initiation process that helps ensure the safety of the Nation's food supply. Specifically, FDA did not have policies and procedures to ensure that firms or responsible parties initiated voluntary food recalls promptly. As a result, consumers remained at risk of illness or death for several weeks after FDA was aware of a potentially hazardous food in the supply chain.

The data in CDC's property system were neither accurate nor complete. Of the 250 items we sampled from the property system, we located 245. CDC had classified the remaining five items as missing. We also found 14 items costing $3.1 million that were not barcoded or accurately recorded in the property system. On the basis of these sample results, we estimated that $29.2 million of CDC property was at risk of being lost or misplaced. Human error was responsible for the inaccurate recording of existing property in the property system.

This is our final report on the audit of the 2015 Census Test conducted in portions of Maricopa County, Arizona. Our audit had two objectives: to assess (1) whether the Bureau’s reengineered and automated operational control system for managing fieldwork functioned as expected, and (2) the Bureau’s progress for determining whether enumerators are able to use employee-owned mobile devices to collect household data, as well as the status of the Bureau’s efforts to overcome policy and legal issues associated with the use of those devices.

The majority of the approved total budget was for staff salaries, benefits and indirect costs.

To see our report, click on the link below

Technology is driving a heightened level of innovation in product and service offerings in the current last mile parcel delivery market and is transforming the way delivery providers interact with their customers. It has empowered customers with tools like real-time tracking, and has raised their expectations. Consumers now expect delivery to be flexible, visible, and fast — all at a low price. It is also democratizing the last mile, which is witnessing an invasion by a variety of new entrants able to enter the market without the need for considerable investment in labor or capital, from large ecommerce platforms, to brick and mortar retailers and even small startups.

Manufacturer rebates for drugs paid through Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) are an increasingly important source of savings for both States and the Federal government. However, "duplicate discounts," which occur when manufacturers pay Medicaid rebates on drugs sold at the already discounted 340B price, are prohibited by law. Thus, for States to collect allowable rebates only and avoid duplicate discounts for drugs paid through MCOs, they must identify and exclude 340B drug claims. If a State does not accurately identify 340B drug claims, both duplicate discounts and forgone rebates-that is, unclaimed rebates to which States are legally entitled-may occur. Duplicate discounts result in manufacturers paying too much in rebates, while forgone rebates result in States paying too much for drugs.

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 its compliance with applicable Federal statutes and regulations.

This report provides a summary of our investigative findings in cases involving administrative misconduct.

This memorandum report presents performance data for the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) projects, which receive grants from ACL to recruit and train retired professionals and other senior citizens to recognize and report instances or patterns of health care fraud. OIG has collected these performance data since 1997. In July 2010, the Administration on Aging (AoA)-now part of ACL-requested that OIG continue to collect and report these data to support its efforts to evaluate and improve the SMP projects' performance. (ACL was established in 2012, bringing together AoA and two other offices.)

This document belongs to the Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General and contains Sensitive But Unclassified information. It may not be released without the express permission of the Office of Audit. 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.

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

This report provides the results of our review of a complaint received in January 2015 from a confidential complainant regarding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, or NOAA Fisheries) Alaska Regional Office’s use of grants and cooperative agreements and whether they are used to acquire personal services, thereby supplementing its full-time equivalent (FTE) workforce. The objective of the review was to determine whether NOAA inappropriately used a cooperative agreement and grant to acquire personal services, as alleged by a confidential complainant.

The Washington Health Benefit Exchange (Washington marketplace), Washington State's health insurance exchange, implemented security controls over its Web site and database, but improvements are needed to fully comply with Federal requirements and to increase protection of personally identifiable information (PII).

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

We reviewed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) administration of the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Payment Model (Pioneer Model).

As part of the OIG's annual audit plan, we audited $172.6 million in costs billed to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (Medco), for prescription drug benefits services from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2013, under Contract No. 00077345. The contract required Medco to provide a fully integrated prescription drug program that would include retail pharmacy, mail order pharmacy, and specialty drug pharmacy services. In summary, we determined Medco overbilled TVA $562,498 and overbilled program participants $121,048 because Medco did not use the contractually defined methodology for pricing certain claims. Medco also overbilled TVA $106,788, including (1) $50,000 for performance standard penalties not paid to TVA, (2) $38,815 for ineligible claim dispensing fees, (3) $13,820 in duplicate claim costs, and (4) $4,153 in ineligible utilization management fees. Medco issued a $50,000 credit to TVA for the performance standard penalties on October 19, 2015. In addition, we noted instances of inadequate contract administration. Specifically, we found Medicare eligible individuals were enrolled in the Commercial account, rather than the Medicare Supplement account, which we estimated has cost TVA up to $200,420 in federal subsidies. We also determined TVA did not perform any independent analyses to verify Medco had achieved the contractually defined operational and pricing guarantees.(Summary Only)

The OIG completed procedures agreed to by TVA and the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) to assist in determining TVA's compliance with the annual reporting requirements of the CRS's Green-e Energy program for the reporting year 2015. Results of the agreed-upon procedures applied were provided to TVA and CRS.(Summary Only)

During this period, we completed 48 investigations involving fraud or corruption related to the Department’s programs and operations, securing more than $185.7 million in settlements, 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 werein positions to serve. We also issued 17 audit and other reports that contained recommendations to improve program operations.

The Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452), as amended, requires that the Inspector General report semiannually to the head of the Department and the Congress on the activities of the office during the 6-month periods ending March 31 and September 30. The semiannual reports are intended to keep the Secretary and the Congress fully and currently informed of significant findings and recommendations by the Office of Inspector General.

In accordance with our annual plan, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a performance audit of the United States Capitol Police (USCP or Department) Training Services Bureau (TSB). The objectives of the audit were to determine if the Department (1) established adequate internal controls and processes for ensuring that TSB maintained the integrity of its program as well as efficient and effective program operations, and (2) complied with applicable laws, regulations, and guidance pertaining to management and operation of its training responsibilities. The scope of the audit included internal controls, processes, and operations from Fiscal Year FY 2011 through FY 2015.

To see our report, click on the link below

Summaries of employee integrity investigation cases closed during the semiannual reporting period noted.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) evaluated NASA's implementation of the recommendations made by the OIG, Government Accountability Office, and National Academy of Public Administration to improve NASA's export-control and foreign national access programs.