Which OIG component is instrumental in ensuring compliance with health care laws and regulations?

The Office of Compliance is crucial in ensuring adherence to health care laws and regulations because it plays a key role in developing, coordinating, and overseeing compliance programs within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its main focus is to establish and enforce policies that prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in health care. This office also provides guidance and training to entities within HHS to promote ethical business practices and compliance with legal requirements.

In contrast, the other components serve different, but equally important, functions within the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The Office of Management and Policy focuses on the strategic planning and administrative support aspects of the OIG, which does not directly deal with compliance matters. The Office of Audit Services conducts audits to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of various programs, which is more about evaluation rather than immediate compliance support. The Office of Investigations actively pursues and conducts investigations into suspected fraudulent activities, but again, this is a reaction to non-compliance rather than a proactive approach to ensure compliance within health care practices.