Office of Inspector General March 15, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice replaces all language in Part A (Office of the Secretary) of the Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG) (70 FR 20147, as amended April 18, 2005; as last amended at 73 FR 7568, dated February 8, 2008). The statement of organization, functions, and delegations of authority conforms to and carries out the statutory requirements for operating OIG. The organizational changes reflected in this notice are primarily to realign the functions within OIG to better reflect the current work environment and priorities, and to more clearly delineate responsibilities for the various activities within OIG's offices. In addition, this notice removes all of Chapter A and establishes Chapter Q. OIG was established by law as an independent and objective oversight unit of the Department to carry out the mission of preventing fraud and abuse and promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness of HHS programs and operations. In furtherance of this mission, the organization: A. Conducts and supervises audits, investigations, evaluations and inspections relating to HHS programs and operations. B. Identifies systemic weaknesses giving rise to opportunities for fraud and abuse in HHS programs and operations and makes recommendations to prevent their recurrence. C. Leads and coordinates activities to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in HHS programs and operations. D. Detects wrongdoers and abusers of HHS programs and beneficiaries so appropriate remedies may be brought to bear, including imposing administrative sanctions against providers of health care under Medicare and Medicaid who commit certain prohibited acts. E. Keeps the Secretary and Congress fully and currently informed about problems and deficiencies in the administration of HHS programs and operations and about the need for and progress of corrective action. In addition, OIG works with the Department of Justice (DOJ), on behalf of the Secretary, to operate the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program. In accordance with authority enacted in its annual appropriations, OIG also provides protection services to the Secretary and conducts criminal investigations of violations of Federal child support provisions. In support of its mission, OIG carries out and maintains an internal quality assurance system and a peer review system with other Offices of Inspectors General, including periodic quality assessment studies and quality control reviews, to provide reasonable assurance that applicable laws, regulations, policies, procedures, standards, and other requirements are followed, are effective, and are functioning as intended in OIG operations.