The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Work Plan on October 5, 2011. The OIG Work Plan provides an overview of what the OIG will focus on in the coming year. It gives providers insight into the areas that the OIG believes are susceptible to fraud, waste and abuse. This is the first of two articles summarizing OIG Work Plan provisions that providers should consider addressing in their compliance plans.

This article focuses on the Work Plan provisions that affect hospital and physician providers. It has been divided into “new” and “continuing” initiatives based on whether the issue was previously addressed in the FY 2011 Work Plan or whether it is a new focus.