OIG Issues Semi-Annual Report to Congress for FY 2017.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently issued its spring Semi-Annual Report covering October 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017.  The report informs the HHS secretary and Congress of OIG activities, significant findings, and recommendations to prevent healthcare fraud, waste, and abuse in HHS programs.

Highlights of the spring 2017 Semi-Annual Report include:

• Institution of 468 criminal actions and 461 civil actions against individuals or entities for misconduct involving HHS programs;
• Total expected investigative recoveries of over $2.04 billion;
• Exclusion of 1,422 individuals and entities from participating in federal health care programs. Most of the exclusions resulted from convictions for crimes relating to Medicare or Medicaid, for patient abuse or neglect, or as a result of license revocation;
• Health Care Fraud Strike Force operations resulting in charges against 49 individuals or entities, 152 criminal actions, and recovering approximately $267 million in investigative receivables;
• Partnership with State Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) on joint investigations in 714 criminal cases;
• Imposition of 1,504 administrative sanctions;
• Conclusion of cases involving more than $26.3 million in CMPs and assessments; and
• Self-disclosure cases resulting in more than $23 million in HHS receivables.

The OIG Spring 2017 Semi-Annual Report to Congress is available at:

https://oig.hhs.gov/reports-and-publications/archives/semiannual/2017/sar-spring-2017.pdf.