About the Recommendations Tracker

Summary Section

The summary section on the landing page features high-level statistics to illustrate insights not easily seen when reviewing individual recommendations including the number of unimplemented recommendations, the potential savings that would result from implementing the unimplemented recommendations, and the number of implemented and recommendations since FY 2017.

Grouped by Reports View

This view provides report and recommendation information at the report level. For each report, you will find the title, report type, tracking number, date issued, a hyperlink to the full report, and the number of associated unimplemented, implemented, or closed recommendations.

By clicking the plus sign under the report title on the right side, you will find, for each of the recommendations associated with the report, the recommendation number, text, status, the agency responsible for implementation, if there are potential savings, and if the recommendation is related to legislation. Additionally, you will find information about the activity that has occurred since OIG issued the recommendation including if and when the agency concurred, non-concurred, or partially concurred, when the last update was received, and when the next update is expected.

Recommendation Details View

This view provides information at the individual recommendation level. For each recommendation, you will find the recommendation’s tracking number, text, status, issue date, and responsible agency. By clicking the plus sign on the left, you’ll find additional detail including potential savings, whether the recommendation requires a legislative change, issue areas, target groups, and financial group and a link to the associated report. You’ll also find information regarding the agency responsible for implementing the recommendation and the activity that has occurred since OIG issued the recommendation including if and when the agency concurred, non-concurred, or partially concurred, when the last update was received, and when the next update is expected.

Both the report and recommendation view offer a variety of filters on the left through which you can focus your search. Many filters are available at both the report and detail view, however, given the structure of OIG’s data, some filters are only available on one view. Selecting one or more of these filters will limit results.

Search: Use this filter to search by report title, report number, recommendation text, or recommendation number.

Recommendation Status: Use this filter to select the status of the recommendation(s) you want to review. You can view unimplemented recommendations at the report level and the additional statuses below at the recommendation level.

• Implemented which includes recommendations the agency completed and recommendations the agency has completed through alternative actions that met the intent of the OIG recommendation.
  • Closed Implemented which includes recommendations for which the OPDIV attested that they have completed corrective action(s) and provided evidence that supports such action(s).
  • Closed Acceptable Alternative which includes recommendations for which the OPDIV has taken an action that is different from the originally recommended action, but that meets the goal/intent of the original recommendation.
• Unimplemented which includes recommendations with which the OPDIV did not concur, partially concurred, or concurred and is in the process of implementing. Pair this status with the Response filter for more detail about concurrence.
  • Open Unimplemented which includes newly issued recommendations pending OPDIV concurrence.
• Closed which includes recommendations the OIG has determined are no longer feasible and recommendations that have been superseded by a new recommendation.
  • Closed Unimplemented which includes recommendations for which OIG determined that implementation is no longer a feasible option.
  • Closed Superseded which includes recommendations for which OIG has determined a new recommendation replaces.

Report Type: Use this filter to select the type of report(s) you want to review. This filter is available on both the report and detail view.

• Audits of HHS programs and/or HHS grantees and contractors to examine the performance of HHS programs and/or grantees in carrying out their responsibilities and provide independent assessments of HHS programs and operations.
• Evaluations of HHS programs from a broad, policy-based perspective and which incorporate practical recommendations that focus on preventing fraud, waste or abuse and encouraging efficiency and effectiveness in HHS programs.

HHS Agency: Use this filter to select the HHS agency(s) examined through OIG audits and evaluations. An OIG report may examine more than one HHS Agency. This filter is available on the report view. See the acronym list for more detail.

Responsible Agency: Use this filter to select the HHS agency responsible for implementation of a recommendation. This filter is available on the detail view. See the list of responsible agencies for more detail.

Issue Date: Use this filter to select the publication date of the audit(s), evaluation(s), or recommendation(s) you want to review. This filter is available on both the report and detail view.

Issue Area: Use this filter to select the issue area(s) the audit or evaluation examined and about which the associated recommendations are focused. Selecting several can allow triangulation to a specific topic. This filter is available on both the report and detail view. See the glossary for more detail on each issue area.

Financial Group: User this filter to select the financial area(s) the audit or evaluation examined and about which the associated recommendations are focused. Selecting several filters can allow triangulation to a specific topic. This filter is available on both the report and detail view.

Target Group: Use this filter to select the target group(s) the audit or evaluation considered, if any, and about which the associated recommendations are focused. Selecting several can allow triangulation to a specific topic. This filter is available on both the report and detail view. See the glossary for more detail on each target group.

Legislative Related: Use this filter to select recommendations that require legislative change. This filter is available on the detail view.

Potential Savings: Use this filter to select recommendations that the OIG believes would result in potential savings if implemented. This filter is available on the detail view. Potential savings may include:

• funds that could be used more efficiently if an HHS Agency took action to implement an OIG recommendation through reductions in outlays, de-obligation of funds, and/or avoidance of unnecessary expenditures; or
• questionable costs based on:
  • an alleged violation of a provision of law, regulation, contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other agreement or document governing the expenditure of funds;
  • a cost that is not supported by adequate documentation at the time of the audit; or
  • the expenditure of funds for the intended purpose is unnecessary or unreasonable.

Response: Use this filter to select recommendations by HHS agency response. This filter is available on the detail view. HHS agency responses may be:

• Concur which indicates the HHS agency agreed with OIG’s recommendation;
• Partially Concur which indicates the HHS agency partially agreed with OIG’s recommendation;
• Non-Concur which indicates the HHS agency did not agree with OIG’s recommendation;
• Not Yet Due which indicates the HHS agency’s response indicating whether it agrees, does not agree, or partially agrees with OIG’s recommendation is not due. HHS agencies are expected to formally indicate whether it concurs within six months of report issuance; or
• Overdue which indicates the HHS agency has not indicated, by the date of the last monthly update, whether it agrees, does not agree, or partially agrees with OIG’s recommendation within the required six-month timeframe.

Recently Updated: Use this filter to select recommendations for which the HHS agency provided an update in the last 30, 60, or 90 days.

Use these filters to select the issue area(s) the audit or evaluation examined. Selecting several can allow triangulation to a specific topic. This filter is available on both the report and detail view.

Contracts: including but not limited to the administration of contracts (e.g., awarding, monitoring, or management), contractors, or a contractor’s operations (e.g., internal controls). This tag would not apply to evaluations or audits that examine the processes, systems, actions, or impacts of an entity that just happens to be a contractor.

COVID-19: including but not limited to responses to COVID-19 with respect to people, funds, infrastructure, and the effectiveness of HHS programs. This tag includes key words such as coronavirus, pandemic, quarantine, infectious disease, SARS-CoV-2.

Departmental Operational Issues: including but not limited to management and operational issues that impact HHS’s overall ability to execute its mission and fulfill its responsibilities effectively, efficiently, and with financial integrity.

Dependent Care: including but not limited to programs or actors (e.g., grantees) that provide care for or services to children and youth (e.g., the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s Unaccompanied Children Program or foster care).

Emergency Preparedness and Response: including but not limited to efforts to prepare for and respond to emerging infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and bioterrorism.

Financial Stewardship: including but not limited to transactions, pricing, expenditures, costs and controlling costs, billing and questionable billing, rebates, payments, and improper payments.

Food, Drug, and Device Safety: including but not limited to food safety (e.g., foodborne illnesses or outbreaks, the food safety system, and the Food Safety Modernization Act), drug safety (e.g., effectiveness of medical products, oversight of manufacturing processes, and the distribution and supply chain), and device safety (e.g., cybersecurity risks).

Healthcare Exchanges and Marketplaces: including but not limited to the regulatory, operational, and technological aspects of the Affordable Care Act, the operation and oversight of health insurance marketplaces, and Healthcare.gov.

Hospitals: including but not limited to emergency rooms, patient safety and the quality of care received at hospitals, hospitals claims and billing practices, payments and improper payments, and compliance with various regulations and CMS requirements.

Information Technology and Cybersecurity: including but not limited to operation, management, appropriate use, securing data, electronic health records, cyberattacks, and cybersecurity.

Laboratories: including but not limited to testing, billing and questionable billing, payments, reporting, capabilities, and oversight.

Managed Care: including but not limited to Managed Care Organizations, medical loss ratios, payments, encounter data, oversight, excluded providers, and identification of fraud and abuse.

Medical Supplies and Equipment: including but not limited to payment rates, oversight, management, distribution, claims and billing, competitive bidding, physician-owned distributors, and market shares.

Mental Health: including but not limited to access to services, billing, care plans, antipsychotic drugs, psychiatric disorders, behavioral health, mental illnesses, and emotional disturbances.

Non-institutional care: including but not limited to group homes, community-based services, community living, home health, hospice, non-institutional, supported living, 1915(c) waivers, background checks, oversight, claims, and questionable billing.

Nursing Homes, Nursing Facilities, and Assisted Living Facilities: including but not limited to surveys, discharges, staffing, complaints, patient harm, claims, facilities, assisted living, and questionable billing.

OIG Statutory Authority and Regulatory Matters: work that focuses on OIG’s unique authorities including but not limited to the Inspector General Act of 1978, the Civil Monetary Penalty Law, OIG’s Exclusion authorities, and other related statutes, regulations, authorities, laws, and regulations.

Physician and Healthcare Practitioners: including but not limited to physicians, physicians’ assistants, psychiatrists, therapists, providers, nurses, doctors, practitioners, and home health providers.

Prescription Drug: including but not limited to average sales price, average manufacturer price, rebates, payments, orphan drugs, Orphan Drug Act, inappropriate billing, access, safe prescribing and dispensing of, prescriptions, Rx, drugs as prescribed, and compounding.

Public Health Issues: including but not limited to public health prevention, wellness, sanitation, community health, health centers, epidemiology, infectious diseases, outbreaks as well as communicable and noncommunicable outbreaks.

Quality of Care: including but not limited to adverse events, adverse outcomes, temporary harm events, care coordination, health outcomes, and coordination of care.

Substance Abuse Disorder: including but not limited to addiction, opioids use disorder, substance use disorder (SUD), medication assisted treatment, access to treatment, opioid crisis, drug abuse, and overdose.

Use these filters to select the target group(s) the audit or evaluation considered, if any, and about which the associated recommendations are focused. Selecting several can allow triangulation to a specific population. This filter is available on both the report and detail view.

Children and Families: including but not limited to minors, kids, families, youth, children, as well as Head Start, the Child Care and Development Fund, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

Elderly: including but not limited to senior citizens and older adults, as well as some Community Services Block Grants, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and the Senior Medicare Patrol Program but not general Medicare evaluations and audits.

People with Disabilities: including but not limited to people with certain impairments, including emotional, developmental, intellectual, learning, or cognitive disabilities. This tag also includes States’ Medicaid Disability Programs or the Administration for Community Living Aging and Disability Resource Centers.

Native Americans: including but not limited to American Indians and Alaska Natives, as well as the Indian Health Service and Administration for Native Americans grant programs.

Other Minorities: including but not limited to people who identify as African American, Latino, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, Hispanic, multiracial, or Asian American, as well as topics or programs specifically targeted to these groups.

Use this filter to select the HHS agency responsible for implementation of a recommendation. This filter is available on the detail view. Below is the list of responsible agencies’ full titles.

• ACF: Administration for Children and Families
• ACL: Administration for Community Living
• AHRQ: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• ASA: Assistant Secretary for Administration
• ASFR: Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources
• ASL: Assistant Secretary for Legislation
• ASPA: Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs
• ASPE: Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
• ASPR: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
• ATSDR: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
• CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• CMS: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• DAB: Departmental Appeals Board
• FDA: Food and Drug Administration
• HRSA: Health Resources and Services Administration
• IHS: Indian Health Service
• MFCU: Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
• NIH: National Institutes of Health
• OASH: Office of Safety and Health
• OCR: Office for Civil Rights
• OFA: Office of Family Assistance
• OGA: Office of Global Affairs
• OCG: Office of the General Counsel
• OHRP: Office for Human Research Protections
• OMH: Office of Minority Health
• OMHA: Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals
• ONC: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
• OS: Office of the Secretary
• SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration