Which organization has had the authority to levy administrative penalties for filing false claims since 1981?

The organization that has had the authority to levy administrative penalties for filing false claims since 1981 is the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This authority was established under the False Claims Act and further reinforced by subsequent legislation. HHS plays a critical role in overseeing healthcare program integrity, ensuring that claims filed with federal healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid are legitimate and meet the required standards. The enforcement of administrative penalties serves to deter fraudulent activities and uphold compliance within the healthcare system.

Other organizations, while involved in various functions related to healthcare compliance, either focus on specific areas or have different jurisdictions. For instance, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) operates under HHS and focuses on combating fraud and abuse, but its authority to impose penalties stems from HHS regulations. Similarly, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is primarily concerned with social security programs and does not have the same jurisdiction over healthcare claims. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is mostly involved with immigration and border security rather than healthcare compliance issues.