Which office was created to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in federal healthcare programs?

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) was established specifically to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in federal healthcare programs. This office operates within the Department of Health and Human Services and is tasked with overseeing and ensuring the integrity of programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. The OIG conducts audits, investigations, and evaluations to identify inefficiencies and fraud, thereby promoting accountability within healthcare services. Its role is essential in enforcing compliance with federal regulations and protecting program beneficiaries, which is why it is the correct answer for this question.

The other entities mentioned, while also involved in various aspects of healthcare oversight and regulation, do not have the same dedicated mandate for addressing waste, fraud, and abuse specifically in federal healthcare programs as the OIG does. The Department of Health and Human Services oversees public health and welfare, the Office of Management and Budget focuses on the federal budget process, and the Department of Justice deals with law enforcement and criminal prosecution but does not specifically target the healthcare program's integrity in the same way the OIG does.