Government contracting is plagued by nefarious, amateurish, and criminal behavior. By awarding government contracts to corporations as compensation for lavish gifts and personal favors, the United States government fails to serve the public interest effectively and honestly. William Sims Curry identifies and categorizes multiple deficiencies in how government contractors are selected, and proposes how reforms can be instituted.This book is based on extensive research. Curry sifted through two years worth of contractor claims maintained by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding improper behavior of federal government agencies during the contract award process. He identified additional government contracting failures through review of media stories, inspector general reports, court cases, and press releases by government investigatory agencies.Much of this abuse originates from the mandated but ineffective practice of color coding rating proposals and a subjective ratings system. Curry proposes replacing the current practice with a scoring system that weighs contractor selection criteria according to the government's needs. This, along with the other procurement reforms Curry recommends, offers promise for an alternative to the fraud, waste, and incompetence currently rampant in government contracting.

Expert advice on how any citizen can fight government fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption. Does government fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption make your blood boil? In The Art of the Watchdog, Daniel L. Feldman and David R. Eichenthal show how to fight back. Based on their own work in federal, state, and local government over the last forty years, they will arm you with the tools and techniques needed to put the spotlight on those who cheat and steal from the public or who squander valuable taxpayer dollars through waste and inefficiency. At the same time, Feldman and Eichenthal outline what they see as the good and the bad of current oversight efforts based on case studies from across the nation. Ultimately their goal is to ensure that the “art of the watchdog” does not become a lost one and to improve the quality and integrity of government and strengthen democracy. “In The Art of the Watchdog, Feldman and Eichenthal offer a comprehensive overview of the world of oversight from the perspective of two authors who have been around the block a time or two. If you want to understand the different forms of watchdogs and how they both succeed and fail, there is no better resource available.” — Neil M. Barofsky, author of Bailout: How Washington Abandoned Main Street While Rescuing Wall Street “This is simply the best book written on the government watchdog function. It smartly explains how a persistent, gutsy, and empirical watchdog can be a tugboat moving supertankers.” — Mark J. Green, former New York City Public Advocate and author of Who Runs Congress? “Who really watches out for abuses and waste in government? Often it is committed public servants who understand that oversight is part of doing the people’s business. Feldman and Eichenthal show how effective watchdogs can lead to better government performance and improved public confidence.” — Tom Griscom, former White House Communications Director in the Reagan administration

Stepped-up efforts to ferret out health care fraud have put every provider on the alert. The HHS, DOJ, state Medicaid Fraud Control Units, even the FBI is on the case -- and providers are in the hot seat! in this timely volume, you'll learn about the types of provider activities that fall under federal fraud and abuse prohibitions as defined in the Medicaid statute and Stark legislation. And you'll discover what goes into an effective corporate compliance program. With a growing number of restrictions, it's critical to know how you can and cannot conduct business and structure your relationships -- and what the consequences will be if you don't comply.

Policymakers and program managers are continually seeking ways to improve accountability in achieving an entity's mission. A key factor in improving accountability in achieving an entity's mission is to implement an effective internal control system. An effective internal control system helps an entity adapt to shifting environments, evolving demands, changing risks, and new priorities. As programs change and entities strive to improve operational processes and implement new technology, management continually evaluates its internal control system so that it is effective and updated when necessary. Section 3512 (c) and (d) of Title 31 of the United States Code (commonly known as the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA)) requires the Comptroller General to issue standards for internal control in the federal government.

The lack of well-documented, factual information on fraud, waste and corruption in the healthcare sector is an important ally for those who would seek to abuse healthcare systems for their own profit. Our lack of knowledge of the incidence, nature and extent of fraud, waste and corruption in healthcare is a threat to the establishment of effective counter-fraud strategies. It prevents those who finance healthcare provision from understanding in clear and quantifiable terms the need to invest resources into counter-fraud activities. As a consequence, fraud remains a matter of moral hazard and healthcare systems continue to suffer considerable financial damage, as well as all the associated consequences for the quality of care that patients receive. It was for these reasons that the 'European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network' (EHFCN) and the 'Dutch Healthcare Authority' (NZa, member of EHFCN) decided to collaborate to publish this book... --

This volume offers the first systematic evaluation of the offices of inspector general (OIG) and examines the government-wide investment in the OIGs concept. Despite their increasingly prominent, often controversial, role in the internal oversight of government, very little is known about their institutional or operational problems.

Section 1557 is the nondiscrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This brief guide explains Section 1557 in more detail and what your practice needs to do to meet the requirements of this federal law. Includes sample notices of nondiscrimination, as well as taglines translated for the top 15 languages by state.