Whom may a case be referred to for civil or criminal prosecution?

• A. Office of the Inspector General / Office of Investigations
• B. Centers for Disease Control
• C. National Institutes of Health
• D. Departamento de Salud

Answer: (A)

Enforcement action in federal health programs comes from the Office of Inspector General, specifically its Office of Investigations. This unit conducts the fraud and abuse investigations and determines when a matter should be referred for civil or criminal enforcement. If a referral is made, it typically goes to the Department of Justice (through a U.S. Attorney’s Office) for prosecution or civil action.

The other options are not responsible for prosecuting cases: the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health are focused on public health and research, not enforcement actions; Departamento de Salud is a state or local health department and does not handle federal prosecutions.