What type of actions can the Office of Inspector General initiate according to healthcare compliance regulations?

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has a critical role in healthcare compliance by ensuring that healthcare providers adhere to regulations and laws. One of the primary actions that the OIG can initiate is conducting audits and investigations. This function allows the OIG to assess compliance with federal health care programs and to identify abuse or fraud.

Audits help to ensure that billing practices align with regulatory standards, while investigations delve deeper into specific concerns or allegations of misconduct. These actions are fundamental to maintaining the integrity of healthcare services and protecting patient welfare by deterring unethical practices and enforcing compliance with legal requirements.

In contrast, legislative changes, public awareness campaigns, and insurance negotiations do not fall under the direct purview of the OIG's routine actions. Legislative changes involve lawmakers and policy-making processes, public awareness campaigns are typically handled by other organizations or agencies, and insurance negotiations generally pertain to the administrative side of healthcare, not the compliance oversight that the OIG performs. Thus, the focus on audits and investigations directly ties to the OIG's mission of upholding laws and regulations in the healthcare sector.