§1073f. Health care fraud and abuse prevention program

(a) Program Authorized.-(1) The Secretary of Defense may carry out a program under this section to prevent and remedy fraud and abuse in the health care programs of the Department of Defense.

(2) At the discretion of the Secretary, such program may be administered jointly by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense and the Director of the Defense Health Agency.

(3) In carrying out such program, the authorities granted to the Secretary of Defense and the Inspector General of the Department of Defense under section 1128A(m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a–7a(m)) shall be available to the Secretary and the Inspector General.

(b) Civil Monetary Penalties.-(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the provisions of section 1128A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a–7a) shall apply with respect to any civil monetary penalty imposed in carrying out the program authorized under subsection (a).

(2) Consistent with section 1079a of this title, amounts recovered in connection with any such civil monetary penalty imposed-

(A) shall be credited to appropriations available as of the time of the collection for expenses of the health care program of the Department of Defense affected by the fraud and abuse for which such penalty was imposed; and

(B) may be used to support the administration of the program authorized under subsection (a), including to support any interagency agreements entered into under subsection (d).

(c) Interagency Agreements.-The Secretary of Defense may enter into agreements with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Attorney General, or the heads of other Federal agencies, for the effective and efficient implementation of the program authorized under subsection (a).

(d) Rule of Construction.-Joint administration of the program authorized under subsection (a) may not be construed as limiting the authority of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense under any other provision of law.

(e) Fraud and Abuse Defined.-In this section, the term "fraud and abuse" means any conduct specified in subsection (a) or (b) of section 1128A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a–7a).

(Added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title VII, §713(a), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1784 .)