Indian Health and Human Services
This webpage offers an overview of the Office of Inspector General's (OIG) body of work as it relates to the Indian health and human services.
Planned Work
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Maternal mortality and morbidity are increasing in the United States, and up to 60 percent of maternal deaths may be preventable. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issues guidance on safe practices during labor and delivery intended to help reduce maternal mortality and other complications. Read the Work Plan Summary
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Details surrounding the recent conviction of a former Indian Health Service (IHS) physician for patient abuse raised concerns about IHS policies and procedures to prevent and address patient abuse. Read the Work Plan Summary
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Office of Evaluation and Inspections OEI-05-18-00470 2020 Opioid abuse and overdose deaths are at crisis levels in the United States, with approximately 49,000 Americans dying from opioids in 2017, an increase from more than 42,000 in 2016. Consistent with previous OIG work in Medicare Part D and Medicaid, we will determine the extent to which beneficiaries are receiving extreme amounts of opioids through Indian Health Service (IHS), as well as IHS-employed prescribers and IHS-run pharmacies that have questionable prescribing or dispensing patterns. This review will also determine how IHS prevents and detects opioid misuse or abuse, as well as how it enforces its opioid-related policies. Read the Work Plan Summary
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IHS provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives either by operating health facilities directly or by funding tribes through contracts or compacts to operate health facilities themselves. In certain cases, tribes may operate a facility known as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), which is certified by CMS to provide outpatient health services to rural areas or underserved populations. In addition to funding from IHS, the tribes may also receive health care funding from the Medicaid or Medicare programs. This report will build on OIG’s body of work identifying longstanding challenges that likely impact the quality of health care services provided to American Indians and Alaska Natives. We will review a tribally operated FQHC that is funded by IHS, to determine whether health services delivered to American Indians and Alaska Natives met applicable Federal requirements. Read the Work Plan Summary
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IHS directly operates 28 hospitals, 62 health centers, and 25 health stations with dispersed management. We will examine the management of IHS, including assessing the organizational framework of IHS headquarters operations. This will include reviewing the fulfillment of roles and responsibilities, enforcement of policies and procedures, and strategies to address current and future challenges. We will conduct interviews with senior management responsible for policies, practices, and resources that support care delivery in IHS facilities. Read the Work Plan Summary