Federal Reports

Facet-joint injections of an anesthetic with or without a steroid are used to diagnose or treat chronic neck and back pain. To address inappropriate billing for pain management tied to overuse of spinal facet-joint injections, the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) developed a limitation of coverage.1 The coverage limitation allows physicians to be reimbursed, during a rolling 12-month period,2 for a maximum of five sessions3 in which facet-joint injections are delivered to the lumbar region of the spine (lumber spine) and a maximum of five sessions in which facet-joint injections are delivered to the cervical and thoracic regions of the spine (cervical/thoracic spine).4 (We refer to injection sessions in these two spinal areas during a rolling 12-month period as “selected facet-joint injection sessions.”) However, Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC (Noridian), one of the MACs, confirmed that a common error identified in audits it performed during calendar years 2016 through 2018 was that Medicare paid for more than five sessions in which facet-joint injections were delivered to the lumbar or cervical/thoracic spines during a rolling 12-month period. Therefore, we conducted this audit to determine whether Medicare made improper payments for selected facet-joint sessions in the MAC jurisdictions that had a coverage limitation from January 1, 2017, through May 31, 2019 (audit period).

The Newark Post Office is located in the Ohio Valley District of the Central Area. We conducted this audit in response to concerns raised by the OIG Office of Investigation of potential stamp stock manipulation. Our objective was to determine whether stamps, money orders, and cash were adequately protected at the Newark, OH, Post Office.

2021 Management and Performance Challenges for the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council.

We conducted this audit in response to an inquiry we received from The White House, Office of Presidential Correspondence, on March 25, 2020, on behalf of a constituent who raised concerns of alleged theft by a postal employee. The inquiry was initially referred to the OIG’s Office of Investigations (OI). OI did not find evidence of misconduct by the employee. However, OI suggested that the High Shoals (NC) Post Office restrict stamp inventory and conduct surprise counts. This audit was designed to provide Postal Service management with additional information on financial control risks at the High Shoals Post Office. The objective was to determine whether the internal controls over stamps, money orders, and cash at the High Shoals Post Office were managed effectively.

The OIG investigated allegations that QEP Energy Company (QEP) failed to properly value minerals produced from Tribal and Indian Allottee properties for 2013 and 2014.We found that QEP underpaid mineral royalties owed to Indian mineral owners in North Dakota, Oklahoma, and New Mexico by $118,716. Subsequently, the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) discovered QEP also undervalued natural gas liquids associated with the leases included in our investigation. This separate violation directly affected QEP’s overall royalty obligation. As a result, ONRR needed to complete an audit to determine any further extent of QEP’s royalty obligations. This matter was referred to ONRR for administrative resolution.

Ryan Taylor Minter, of Calumet City, Illinois, was sentenced in United States District Court, Central District of Illinois, on October 6, 2020, to 18 months in prison, one-year probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $15,938 for wire fraud charges. Our investigation found that Minter participated in a scheme to defraud Amtrak and others by using stolen credit card information from at least 216 different credit or debit cards to purchase Amtrak tickets online valued at over $29,000. Minter used Amtrak’s mobile application and website to purchase the tickets and then advertised them at a discounted price on social media sites frequented by college students.