January 19, 2017      5:58 PM

HHSC navigates the independence of Inspector General in midst of large-scale consolidation

Oversight Co-Chair Four Price is concerned about the ability for the Inspector General to complete investigations: “I don’t want to do anything that would jeopardize the independence of the office.”

Executive Commissioner Charles Smith will have to walk a careful line to keep some autonomy in the Office of Inspector General, even as he continues to consolidate the Health and Human Services Commission into an agency with almost 40,000 employees.

The legislative oversight committee charged with following the agency’s state-mandated consolidation met this week, the first of four meetings scheduled this year. Co-Chair Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, opened the meeting emphasizing the reason for consolidation: Ease of use.

“The reason we embarked on this consolidation was a more efficient system easier to navigate, for the people who rely on it,” said Nelson, who leads the committee with Rep. Four Price, R-Amarillo. “We’re already seeing progress to that goal, but we still have a long way to go.”

The second phase of HHSC consolidation, which will finish taking the five agencies down to three, will be a far larger task than the first phase. Smith said the consolidation, to be completed this September, will be about six times larger than the first phase.

By Kimberly Reeves

Copyright January 19, 2017, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved