Transcript for audio podcast: OIG Outlook 2014: Introduction from the Inspector General and the Principal Deputy Inspector General
From the Office of Inspector General of Department of Health and Human Services
[Roberta Baskin] Welcome to OIG Outlook 2014. I'm Roberta Baskin, Director of Media Communications for the Office of Inspector General. The OIG oversees the complex world of Federal health care programs, and our 2014 Work Plan is a blueprint of our oversight and enforcement efforts. They're designed to protect both the people who rely on those health care programs and the taxpayers who pay for them. Over the next half-hour, our leadership will discuss those plans for the year ahead. But first, we'll hear from our top leadership at OIG: our Inspector General Dan Levinson and our Principal Deputy Inspector General, Joanne Chiedi. Dan?
[Dan Levinson] Hello and welcome. Our mission here at the Office of Inspector General is to protect the integrity of over 300 health and human services. For over 30 years, we have fought against fraud, waste and abuse. In so doing, we work to protect the millions of Americans who rely on health and human services programs and the investment of our taxpayers. This is a period of great transition in health care as insurance marketplace models are introduced and as payment models transition from volume- to value-based. These transitions intend to produce higher quality of care at lower costs. OIG's oversight of new health insurance marketplaces will focus on four primary areas of risk: payment accuracy, eligibility controls, contracting oversight, and privacy and security issues. Many new models place great reliance on data and health information technology. We will continue to focus on the use of health information technology, including electronic health records. Where vulnerabilities are detected, we will offer recommendations for improvement. Our work is built on the core values of relevance, impact, customer focus and innovation. Roberta...
[Roberta Baskin] Thanks, Dan. Those core values lead right into our Principal Deputy Inspector General, Joanne Chiedi, introducing our shared goals to drive positive change in 2014 and beyond. Joanne?
[Joanne Chiedi] Thanks, Roberta. The Office of Inspector General has responsibility for overseeing HHS programs that account for 25 cents of every Federal dollar spent. We approach our mission by focusing on three key goals. Goal one is to fight fraud, waste and abuse. In this program, you'll hear about our planned efforts to fight fraud and abuse in areas such as prescription drugs, and home- and community-based services. Goal two is to promote quality, safety and value. A key focus of our planned work is on the quality and care of nursing homes and how often beneficiaries are harmed during their stay in nursing homes. Goal three is to secure the future of HHS programs. Health IT will remain a top priority. Continued oversight is needed to guard against misuses that could result in improper payments and substandard quality. OIG will continue to remain nimble and responsive to changes as we conduct our oversight and assessments of new and existing programs in HHS. Over the next half-hour, you'll be learning more about OIG's goals in 2014 and beyond, from our deputy inspectors general. Thank you for tuning in.
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