duties and responsibilities

duties and responsibilities Sec. 203. (a) It shall be the duty and responsibility of the Inspector General— (1) to supervise, coordinate, and provide policy direction for auditing and investigative activities relating to programs and operations of the Department; (2) to recommend policies for, and to conduct, supervise, or coordinate other activities carried out or financed by the Department for the purpose of promoting economy and efficiency in the administration of, or preventing and detecting fraud and abuse in, its programs and operations: (3) to recommend policies for, and to conduct, supervise, or coordinate relationships between the Department and other Federal agencies, State and local governmental agencies, and non-governmental entities with respect to (A) all matters relating tn the promotion of economy and efficiency in the administration of, or the prevention and detection of fraud and abuse in, programs and operations administered or financed by the Department, or (B) the identification and prosecution of participants in such fraud or abuse: and (4) to keep the Secretary and the Congress fully and currently informed, by means of the reports required by section 4 and other-90 STAT. 2431wise, concerning fraud and other serious problems, abuses, and deficiencies relating to the administration of programs and operations administered or financed by the Department, to recommend corrective action concerning such problems, abuses, and deficiencies, and to report, on the progress made in implementing such corrective action. (b) In carrying out the responsibilities specified in subsection (a)(1), the Inspector General shall have authority to approve or disapprove the use of outside auditors or to take other appropriate steps to insure the competence and independence of such auditors. (c) In carrying out the duties and responsibilities provided by this Act, the Inspector General shall give particular regard to the activities of the Comptroller General of the United States with a view to avoiding duplication and insuring effective coordination and cooperation. (d) The Inspector Genera) shall establish within his office an appropriate and adequate staff with specific responsibility for devoting their full time and attention to anti fraud and anti abuse activities relating to the medicaid, medicare, renal disease, and maternal and child health programs. Such staff shall report to the Deputy.