Government watchdog warns physicians with conflicts of interest, promises...
A growing number of physicians have financial interests in companies that sell medical devices. The Health and Human Services Inspector General has issued its latest warning to consumers about the...
View ArticleSome beef products not tested for E. coli, USDA watchdog finds
You might think twice the next time you buy a package of ground beef at the grocery store or order a hamburger at your favorite restaurant, because there’s no guarantee what you’re purchasing has been...
View ArticleDoctor pleads guilty in record health care fraud case, faces up to 15 years...
A well-known cardiologist didn’t just bilk Medicare, Medicaid and other health insurers of millions of dollars by submitting bills for services he never delivered. He solicited patients for treatments...
View ArticleFAA Inspector General says agency needs more oversight, better data analysis...
Inadequate oversight of aircraft repairs, poorly trained aircraft inspectors and unsafe separation distances between planes – leading to near collisions – were among ongoing safety issues highlighted...
View ArticleEPA mismanagement has delayed testing, clean-up of toxic asbestos site in...
Hundreds of people had been dying from asbestos dust in the small mining town of Libby Montanafor years before the Environmental Protection Agency entered the picture in 1999. It didn’t take long for...
View ArticleUSDA Audit: Regulators fail to stop food program fraud
Who would defraud a program that provides nutritional foods for pregnant women and new mothers and their children? Retail food shops — when federal regulators weren’t minding the store.
View ArticleHUD “Healthy Homes Office” tackles lead-tainted houses on tight budget
Decades after the government banned lead-based paint, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control continues to work with local governments to...
View ArticleNASA energy-saving efforts don’t necessarily save money, says IG
When homeowners upgrade their energy systems, they hope to recoup their investment over time through lower energy bills. Government agencies, in contrast, are often guaranteed returns on such...
View Article“Compassionate release” program at Bureau of Prisons criticized by Justice...
In 2005, lawyer Lynne Stewart was imprisoned for publicizing messages from her jailed client, the blind sheikh and terrorist Omar Abdel-Rahman. Today, the 73-year-old Stewart is fighting stage IV...
View ArticleIG criticisms of military sexual assault education efforts don’t go far...
When two military officers responsible for the military’s sexual assault prevention programs were charged with sexual assault just a week apart, the cases made headlines.
View ArticleThe Inspector General: How “big government” keeps an eye on itself
Rarely are federal inspectors general media stars. These independent watchdogs of government agencies usually work behind the scenes. But now and then, IGs uncover abuses or failings by the government...
View ArticleLax oversight of Medicare prescription drug program leads to unnecessary...
Prescription drug abuse has hit epidemic levels in the United States, with more than six million people using drugs for non-medical reasons in 2011. The trend has been fueled in part by an unexpected...
View ArticleVeterans Affairs faces dual challenge: serve more veterans, use less energy
A veteran of the Iraq or Afghanistan war living in Caribou, Maine suffers from post-traumatic stress. A sudden and serious episode of depression becomes overwhelming, and he needs immediate medical...
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