About Us

In 2003, the 78th Texas Legislature created the Office of Inspector General to strengthen the Health and Human Services Commission's capacity to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in publicly funded state-run Health and Human Services programs.

The OIG's mission, as prescribed by statute, is the "prevention, detection, audit, inspection, review, and investigation of fraud, waste, and abuse in the provision and delivery of all health and human services in the state, including services through any state-administered health or human services program that is wholly or partly federally funded, and the enforcement of state law relating to the provision of these services."

Our primary tools for detecting, deterring, and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse are audits (conducted under Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards, also known as the Yellow Book); investigations (conducted pursuant to generally accepted investigative policies); inspections (conducted under the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) standards, also known as the Blue Book); and reviews (conducted under the Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspector General developed by the Association of Inspectors General, also known as the Green Book).

Our principles

Vision

Promoting the health and safety of Texans by protecting the integrity of state health and human services delivery.

Mission

Prevent, detect, audit, inspect, review, and investigate fraud, waste, and abuse in the provision and delivery of all state health and human services, and enforce state law related to the provision of those services.

Values

Accountability: We serve the citizens of Texas and take responsibility for our decisions and actions.

Integrity: We demonstrate honesty and credibility.

Collaboration: We work collectively to multiply our contribution and create shared goals leading to greater success.

Excellence: We strive to be and do our best.

Defining fraud, waste, and abuse

Fraud: Any act that constitutes fraud under federal or state law, including any intentional dishonesty or misrepresentation made by a person who knew the deception could cause unapproved benefit for themselves or another person.

Waste: Any practice a sensible person would consider careless or would cause excessive use of resources, items or services.

Abuse: Any practice inconsistent with proper fiscal, business or medical practices and causes unnecessary program cost.