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Update: Top Challenges in Pandemic Relief and Response
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has appropriated over $3.5 trillion to address the public health and economic crises. Given the changing nature of the pandemic and the federal government’s response, we re-visited our original top management challenges to ensure that the PRAC is providing timely information to Congress and the new Administration about the response efforts. The following four challenges have been added: Preventing and Detecting Fraud against Government Programs; Informing and Protecting the Public from Pandemic-Related Fraud; Data...
Health Resources and Services Administration's Monitoring of High-Risk COVID-19 Grantees
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is the primary Federal agency for improving health care to people who are geographically isolated and economically or medically vulnerable. HRSA should identify and mitigate risks related to awarding grants to health centers to minimize the potential misuse or loss of Federal funds. In spring 2020, HRSA awarded through three programs nearly $2 billion to approximately 1,380 health centers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To expedite distribution of this funding, HRSA did not require that health centers apply for grants. Instead, it...
Six Charged in Connection with a $3 Million Paycheck Protection Program Fraud Scheme
Six individuals were charged in an indictment with fraudulently obtaining approximately $1.5 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of five businesses based in Georgia and South Carolina.
Man Charged with $1.9 Million COVID-Relief Fraud
A Nevada man was charged in an indictment Wednesday for his alleged participation in a scheme to defraud multiple financial institutions by filing bank loan applications that fraudulently sought more than $1.9 million dollars in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Medication Delivery Delays Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic at the Manila Outpatient Clinic in Pasay City, Philippines
The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted an inspection to assess allegations related to delayed medication delivery from the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic (clinic) pharmacy in Pasay City, Philippines, prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.The OIG substantiated a patient experienced medication delivery delays and did not timely receive morphine from the clinic pharmacy in October and November 2019. While the patient requested a renewal in a timely manner, pharmacists could not fill the medication because there was no available stock from the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA)...
Dade City Man Admits Stealing And Laundering COVID Relief Funds
Tampa, Florida – Keith Nicoletta (48, Dade City) has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to launder stolen COVID relief funds. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Nicoletta also agreed to forfeit more than $1.9 million, a 2020 Mercedes, a 2020 Ford F-250, real property located in Pasco County, and other funds and assets that are traceable proceeds of the offense.
Businessman Charged in Scheme to Hoard Personal Protective Equipment and Price Gouge Health Care Providers
A Mississippi businessman was charged with defrauding the United States and other health care providers in a $1.8 million scheme related to acquiring and hoarding personal protective equipment (PPE) and price gouging health care providers, including numerous U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals in critical need of PPE.
Hospital Pharmacist to Plead Guilty to Attempting to Spoil Hundreds of COVID Vaccine Doses
A Wisconsin pharmacist has agreed to plead guilty to charges filed today in federal court that he attempted to render hundreds of doses of COVID-19 vaccine ineffective.
Santa Clarita Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Over $1 Million in COVID-19 Relief PPP Loans for His Sham Companies
A Santa Clarita Valley man pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge that he fraudulently obtained more than $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for his sham companies by submitting fake tax documents and fraudulent employee information.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Coronavirus Response at Indian Country Detention Facilities
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was enacted. It included $8 billion for direct payments to Indian Tribes and $522 million of direct appropriations to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) for COVID-19 response. Given this infusion of funding, we examined the impact of COVID-19 on the Indian detention system from April 1, 2020, to May 31, 2020, including the actions the BIA and the tribes have taken to respond to outbreaks of this virus, and how other longstanding challenges have affected the BIA’s response...
Issaquah, Washington man pleads guilty to COVID-19 relief fraud scheme
Seattle – An Issaquah, Washington man pleaded guilty today to perpetrating a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme
A Washington man pleaded guilty today to perpetrating a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Purported biotech executive charged with introducing misbranded drug into interstate commerce for distribution of “COVID-19 vaccine”
Seattle - A Redmond, Washington, man who held himself out as a biotech expert was arrested today on a federal warrant charging him with introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.
Race and Ethnicity Data for Medicare Beneficiaries
Accurate, complete, and appropriately detailed race and ethnicity data for Medicare beneficiaries are critical to identifying and mitigating health disparities. As racial and ethnic disparities have emerged among those impacted by COVID-19, the availability and quality of data on race and ethnicity has garnered greater attention and scrutiny. This study will describe the extent to which Medicare's race and ethnicity data for beneficiaries are complete and accurate. We will compare these data to data from other sources. We will also determine the extent to which the Medicare beneficiary race...
Audits of Medicare Part B Telehealth Services During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Telehealth is playing an important role during the public health emergency (PHE), and CMS is exploring how telehealth services can be expanded beyond the PHE to provide care for Medicare beneficiaries. Because of telehealth's changing role, we will conduct a series of audits of Medicare Part B telehealth services in two phases. Phase one audits will focus on making an early assessment of whether services such as evaluation and management, opioid use order, end-stage renal disease, and psychotherapy (Work Plan number W-00-21-35801) meet Medicare requirements. Phase two audits will include...
Audit of Home Health Services Provided as Telehealth During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
President Trump declared a national emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to take proactive steps to support the response to COVID-19 through the use of section 1135 waivers. By means of this authority, CMS waived certain requirements in order to expand Medicare telehealth benefits to health care professionals who were previously ineligible, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, and others. CMS also amended regulations to allow home health agencies to use...
Audit of Delinquent Noncustodial Parents' Tax Refund and Economic Impact Payment Intercepts
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides qualifying individuals with a recovery rebate (economic impact payment) of up to $1,200 (or $2,400 if married and filing jointly), plus up to $500 for each qualifying child. Congress added a number of exemptions concerning the economic impact payments within the CARES Act; however, it did not exempt child support debt. According to estimates, up to 10.5 million noncustodial parents are delinquent in their payment of child support and could have their economic impact payments intercepted. Based on the significant impact...
Man Charged with $5 Million COVID-Relief Fraud
A Texas man has been charged in the Eastern District of Texas with allegedly filing bank loan applications fraudulently seeking more than $5 million dollars in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Federal COVID-19 Testing Report: Data Insights from Six Federal Health Care Programs
This report examines COVID-19 testing efforts for six federal health care programs during the first seven months following the declaration of a public health emergency in the United States. Published by the PRAC Health Care Subgroup, the report takes a detailed look at testing data in each of the programs that, when combined, provide benefits or care for about 64 million individuals. We hope this report will help policymakers as they continue to develop and refine their testing efforts related to testing accessibility and availability for at-risk populations, cost effectiveness, and...
Where’s the Money? DOI Use of CARES Act Funds as of November 30, 2020
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). To date the CARES Act has provided the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) with $909.7 million, which includes direct apportionments of $756 million to support the needs of DOI programs, bureaus, Indian Country, and the Insular Areas, and a $153.7 million transfer from the U.S. Department of Education to the BIE.This report presents the DOI’s progress as of November 30, 2020, in spending CARES Act appropriations. Specifically, the DOI’s expenditures to date total $582,466,112...
Remote Inspection of Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island
To view a set of interactive dashboards with up-to-date data on COVID-19 cases in this facility, click here: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ab22fb4c564e4f4b986e257c685190…
Remote Inspection of Federal Correctional Complex Coleman
To view a set of interactive dashboards with up-to-date data on COVID-19 cases in this facility, click here: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ab22fb4c564e4f4b986e257c685190…
EDA Was Effective in Implementing the Requirements for Awarding Funds Under the CARES Act
This memorandum provides the results of our evaluation of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA’s) plan for the implementation of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)1 funding. Our objective was to determine whether EDA implemented and followed the requirements of the CARES Act. Specifically, we determined (1) what steps EDA took in implementing the CARES Act, (2) challenges EDA faced during implementation, and (3) EDA’s ongoing efforts in awarding funds under the CARES Act. Overall, we found that EDA implemented and followed the requirements of the CARES Act...
Survey on the Effects of COVID-19 on ATF, DEA, FBI, USAO, and USMS Investigative Operations
To gain insight on the effects and impact of COVID-19 on law enforcement investigative operations, the DOJ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) surveyed law enforcement personnel within the DOJ during July and early August of 2020. Specifically, the OIG deployed an anonymous online survey to Special Agents; Criminal Investigators; General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, and Compliance personnel; and U.S. Marshals and Deputy U.S. Marshals. Results from this survey are available at the following link: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/891259547d994573a314acf7927ac6…
Mail Service During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Postal Service provided vital service, including the delivery of critical items such as medications, stimulus payments, and Social Security checks. Further, the Postal Service is the leading delivery service provider for online purchases. A May 2020 Harris Poll survey on America’s 100 essential companies’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, ranked the Postal Service as number one, based on its resolve, integrity, responsiveness, and permanence. Our objective was to evaluate mail service during the early stages of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease...
Evaluation of the National Reconnaissance Office's Implementation of Section 3610 Authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
On 27 March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided emergency assistance and healthcare response for individuals, families, and businesses affected by the Coronavirus disease. Section 3610 of the CARES Act provided agencies discretionary authority to reimburse costs of paid leave to federal contractors and subcontractors using existing appropriations to keep these individuals in a ready state and to protect the life and safety of government and contractor personnel. Given the unprecedented circumstances surrounding these Section 3610...
Departmental Offices CARES Act Funding Snapshot
Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) enacted on March 27, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) received $909.7 million to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The Office of the Secretary (OS) received $158.4 million of the DOI’s CARES Act funding and transferred funds to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Office of Inspector General (OIG), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), and Office of Wildland Fire (OWF). As of November 30, 2020, 5.3 percent of the funding...
Ineffective Implementation of Corrective Actions Diminishes DHS' Oversight of Its Pandemic Planning
DHS OIG issued a series of three reports between August 2014 and October 2016 examining DHS’ pandemic activities, including 28 recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of DHS planning and response activities. We conducted this verification review to determine the adequacy and effectiveness of DHS’ corrective actions. We focused our review on 11 of 28 key recommendations that dealt with DHS-wide pandemic planning and response activities. We determined that DHS provided the OIG with adequate documentation of its initial plans and actions to address the recommendations to...
Added Measures Could Reduce Veterans’ Risk of COVID-19 Exposure in Transitional Housing
The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed the measures taken by the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) Homeless Program Office, medical facilities, and community service providers to mitigate COVID-19 risks in transitional housing programs for veterans experiencing homelessness.The OIG found that while transitional housing service providers successfully implemented four of six specific Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 risk mitigation measures, the providers could have strengthened implementation of two others.VHA and service provider staff said the Homeless...