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Texas Government Code - GOV'T § 544.0103. Office of Inspector General: General Powers and Duties

Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) The office of inspector general is responsible for:

(1) preventing, detecting, auditing, inspecting, reviewing, and investigating fraud, waste, and abuse in the provision and delivery of all health and human services in this state, including services provided:

(A) through any state-administered health or human services program that is wholly or partly federally funded; or

(B) by the Department of Family and Protective Services; and

(2) enforcing state law relating to providing those services.

(b) The commission may obtain any information or technology necessary for the office of inspector general to meet its responsibilities under this chapter or other law.

(c) The office of inspector general shall closely coordinate with the executive commissioner and relevant staff of health and human services system programs the office of inspector general oversees in performing functions relating to preventing fraud, waste, and abuse in the delivery of health and human services and enforcing state law relating to the provision of those services, including audits, utilization reviews, provider education, and data analysis.

(d) The office of inspector general shall conduct audits, inspections, and investigations independent of the executive commissioner and the commission but shall rely on the coordination required by Subsection (c) to ensure that the office of inspector general has a thorough understanding of the health and human services system to knowledgeably and effectively perform its duties.

(e) The office of inspector general may:

(1) assess administrative penalties otherwise authorized by law on behalf of the commission or a health and human services agency;

(2) request that the attorney general obtain an injunction to prevent a person from disposing of an asset the office of inspector general identifies as potentially subject to recovery by the office of inspector general due to the person's fraud or abuse;

(3) provide for coordination between the office of inspector general and special investigative units formed by managed care organizations under Subchapter H or entities with which managed care organizations contract under that subchapter;

(4) audit the use and effectiveness of state or federal funds, including contract and grant funds, administered by a person or state agency receiving the funds from a health and human services agency;

(5) conduct investigations relating to the funds described by Subdivision (4); and

(6) recommend policies to:

(A) promote the economical and efficient administration of the funds described by Subdivision (4); and

(B) prevent and detect fraud and abuse in the administration of those funds. (Gov. Code, Secs. 531.102(a), (a-5), (a-6), (h).)

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Texas Government Code - GOV'T § 544.0103. Office of Inspector General: General Powers and Duties - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/government-code/gov-t-sect-544-0103/

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