In the fifth episode of The Inspector General, host Clark Ervin from our Government Investigation & White Collar Practice is joined by Michael Missal, the former Inspector General of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Unbeknownst to most, the VA is the nation’s second largest government agency, with an annual budget of US$350 billion, half a million employees (nearly one-fifth of the federal workforce) and the largest integrated healthcare system in the country. If it were a public company, the VA would be the fifth largest, behind the likes of Walmart and Apple.
Over the course of his nine-year tenure as IG, Mike and his team of 1200 auditors, investigators and healthcare experts issued 2500 reports, made 10,000 recommendations and had a monetary impact of US$4.5 billion. In this episode, among other things, he highlights some of the fascinating audits and investigations that made national headlines and helped to improve the lives of veterans nationwide significantly.
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Key questions addressed in this episode
What does it take to oversee a US$350 billion-plus department serving millions of veterans nationwide?
How can Inspectors General balance independence with maintaining productive relationships with agency leadership and Congress?
What were some of the most significant investigations and audits conducted during his nearly nine years as VA Inspector General?
How did audits and investigations lead to better outcomes for veterans nationwide?
What tools and authorities do IGs rely on to combat fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement?
Why does Inspector General independence remain essential to effective government oversight?
If you have any questions about our podcast, please contact Clark Ervin, senior partner in our Government Investigations & White Collar Practice. And look out for future episodes in this series, where we take a detailed look at the important work IGs do to make the government more accountable and efficient.