Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is charged with identifying and combating waste, fraud, and abuse in the HHS’s more than 300 programs, including Medicare and programs conducted by agencies within HHS, such as the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health. Since 2004, Daniel R. Levinson has served as HHS’s Inspector General, a presidentially appointed, nonpartisan position.

The mission of the OIG as mandated by the Inspector General Act (Public Law 95-452, as amended), is to protect the integrity of HHS’s programs as well as the well-being of the beneficiaries of those programs.

OIG holds accountable those who bill HHS programs but do not meet Federal health program requirements or who violate Federal laws regarding the use of Federal health care funds. OIG also identifies opportunities to improve the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of HHS programs.

OIG reports both to the Secretary of HHS and to the United States Congress about program and management problems and recommendations to correct them. OIG's work is carried out by regional offices nationwide that perform audits, investigations, inspections and other mission-related functions.

HHS OIG is the largest inspector general's office in the Federal Government, with more than 1,700 employees dedicated to combating fraud, waste and abuse and to improving the efficiency of HHS programs. Most of OIG's resources go to overseeing Medicare and Medicaid — programs that represent much of the Federal budget and affect the most vulnerable U.S. citizens. OIG's oversight extends to programs under other HHS institutions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration.

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