The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services has released its semiannual report for the period of April 1, 2017, through September 30, 2017. The report also includes aggregated data for all of fiscal year (FY) 2017. For instance, during FY 2017, the OIG achieved:
- $4.13 billion in expected investigative recoveries;
- 881 criminal and 826 civil actions against individuals or entities related to HHS programs; and
- Exclusion of 3,244 individuals and entities from federal health care programs.
In the report, Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson notes the OIG's growing use of advanced data analytics to detect potential vulnerabilities and fraud trends, which he asserts allows the agency "to target our resources at those areas and individuals most in need of oversight, leaving others free to provide care and services without unnecessary disruption." Additionally, the OIG takes credit for generating almost $24.4 billion in savings in FY 2017 as a result of its recommendations being included in legislative, regulatory, and other policy decisions.
This article is presented for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.
