politics
HHS watchdog reports $5.56 billion in recoveries and savings over six months
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General recorded $5.56 billion in expected recoveries and projected savings from October through March. Enforcement actions fell to their lowest level in at least two years during the same period.
Jul 13, 3:13 AM·1m read1 source
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The office also barred 1,212 individuals and companies from federal healthcare programs. The semiannual report to Congress showed the office returned $12.70 for every dollar spent. Several large cases contributed to the total, including a 15-year prison sentence for a telemedicine software executive in a $1 billion scheme and $674 million in settlements involving Kaiser Permanente affiliates and CVS Health's Aetna unit.
Enforcement activity Combined criminal and civil actions dropped to 604 from 833 in the prior reporting period. Criminal referrals fell to 1,168 from 1,451, and exclusions declined to 1,212 from 1,795. The figures showed no increase compared with the same period under the previous administration.
A methodology change introduced in early 2025 combined projected savings with ordered repayments rather than cash actually collected.
Task force and audits The Office of Inspector General now participates in a White House fraud task force. The report highlighted improper payments to deceased enrollees across 35 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. Audits in Indiana, Wisconsin, Maine, and Colorado identified hundreds of millions of dollars in improper payments for applied behavior analysis therapy due to documentation errors and weak oversight.
The report is the first signed by the current inspector general, a Republican lawyer confirmed by the Senate in December.
