Federal Reports

Semiannual Report to the Congress

This semiannual report summarizes the work we completed from April 1, 2021, through September 30, 2021, to deter fraud, waste, and abuse.

This Semiannual Report to Congress reflects how the EPA OIG is achieving its mission of preventing and detecting fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, and misconduct related to the programs and operations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. During the reporting period, April 1, 2021, through September 30, 2021, among other accomplishments, the OIG coled a federal investigation into unreliable water quality testing results, recommended how the EPA could address the adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic on tribal drinking water systems, and determined the root causes of decline in the EPA’s federal enforcement actions.

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted an inspection to assess concerns regarding delays in clinical care and deficiencies in care coordination that led to a delay in the diagnosis of lung cancer in a patient who died at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center (facility). The OIG also evaluated facility leaders’ responses to quality and timeliness of care. During the inspection, the OIG discovered limitations in the facility’s teleradiology processes.The OIG determined that poor oversight of resident physicians (residents) likely contributed to the patient’s delayed lung cancer diagnosis. A resident ordered an abdomen and pelvis computed tomography (CT) scan. Although a follow-up chest CT scan was recommended within 90 days, it took 175 days to complete. The chest CT scan results included resolution of a spiculated lung nodule and worsening of opacities in the lung representing a cavitary infection or cancer, and a positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) scan was recommended. The follow-up PET/CT scan showed a lesion in the right lung, but a biopsy was not done. The patient was examined and diagnosed with cancer at a non-VA hospital.The OIG concluded that deficiencies in care coordination between Primary Care, Pulmonary, and Emergency Departments’ staff also contributed to delays. In addition, contract teleradiologists did not use available prior images for comparison.The facility failed to use quality management and patient safety processes to evaluate the care of the patient.The OIG made six recommendations to the Facility Director related to oversight of residents; care coordination between primary, emergency, and specialty care; review of the patient’s care; leader’s review of facility responses provided to the OIG; consistency in the review of relevant radiological images by facility radiologists and contract teleradiologists; and patient safety reporting.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) Office of Inspector General (OIG) initiated aninvestigation on June 3, 2021, at the request of the Office of the Staff Director concerning an incident on June 1, 2021 that involved a potential information systems breach associated with agency-provided employee identification cards. The OIG identified two findings and developed five recommendations to the Commission.

The Office of the Inspector General conducted a review of the Southaven Combined Cycle (SCC) Plant to identify factors that could impact SCC’s organizational effectiveness. During the course of our evaluation, we identified behaviors that had a positive impact on SCC. These were related to teamwork and interactions with others; however, we also identified risks related to employee and managerial behaviors that had a negative impact on SCC morale. In addition, we identified risks to operations that could hinder SCC’s effectiveness. These were related to (1) ineffective work management, (2) inaccurate plant drawings, (3) inadequate staffing, and (4) perceived negative interactions with an internal TVA business partner.