How Does the Federal OIG/GSA Search Work?
The Federal OIG/GSA Search is comprised of OIG (Office of Inspector General), GSA (General Services Administration), FDA (Food and Drug Administration), DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and action taken by licensing boards in all 50 states.
OPENonline customers may use the Federal OIG/GSA Search as a stand alone product or as part of a complete employment background screening package through our SelectHire® service. Reports are returned in one concise, detailed, easy-to-read report.
Benefits of working with us:
- Manage the burden of monthly and annual review of mass employee and vendor data
- Specialized Team to process and review returned data
- Managed Adverse Action with anyone that is found on the exclusion list
- Screening Compliance
- Vendor Management
What is the Federal OIG/GSA Exclusion List?
Since its 1976 establishment, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has been at the forefront of the Nation's efforts to fight waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare, Medicaid and more than 300 other HHS programs.
The Federal OIG/GSA Search utilizes the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Inspector General's database for individuals and businesses excluded or sanctioned from participating in Medicare, Medicaid, or other Federally funded programs. If an organization employs an individual on these sanctioned lists they may be forced to pay back all Federal funds received via these programs going back to the date the person was employed.
Recent guidance released by the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) makes it clear that “not knowing” is not an excuse, and that the default action of the government will be to presume in favor of exclusion. Health care institutions need to be proactive in the set-up and management of robust employee and vendor compliance programs so that they can adequately protect patients, prevent fraud, and preserve their organizational integrity.
The Facts:
- The Medicare and Medicaid programs comprise the single largest purchaser of health care in the world.
- In 2010 the federal government spent $732 billion on Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program - more than 20% of all federal spending.
- In 2011, the OIG excluded 2,662 individuals and entities from participation in federal healthcare programs
- Fraud and abuse accounts for between 3 and 15% of health care expenditures, with other agency’s estimates in the 10 to 15% range or between $100 and $170 billion annually. – The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG)
- The average fine per employee ranged from $66,440 to $146,167 in 2011