# Justice Manual § 9-44.200: Overview of Authorized Investigative Demands—Authority

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-44.200

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-44.200
- **Heading:** Overview of Authorized Investigative Demands—Authority
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-44.000 - Health Care Fraud / Justice Manual § 9-44.200

## Text

On August 21, 1996, the President signed into law the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act, P.L. 104-191. Section 248 of P.L. 104-191 adds a new statute, 18 U.S.C. § 3486. This provision empowers the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee, to issue investigative demands to obtain records for investigations relating to Federal criminal health care fraud offenses; these records are not subject to the constraints applicable to grand jury matters set forth in Fed. R. Crim. P. 6(e). The new statute also provides for judicial enforcement of these investigative demands through contempt actions and immunizes persons complying in good faith with such demands from civil liability for disclosure of information. Investigative demands differ from inspector general subpoenas in that the scope of the latter are limited to the statutory authority of the specific inspector general and civil investigations, whereas investigative demands can be directed more broadly to various public and private victims and must involve criminal investigations.

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 9-44.100 Health Care Fraud—Generally](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-44.100.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-44.150 Fraud and Abuse Control Program and Joint Guidelines Mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-44.150.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-44.160 Guidelines for Multidistrict Health Care Fraud Initiatives](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-44.160.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-44.200 Overview of Authorized Investigative Demands—Authority](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-44.200.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-44.201 Overview of Authorized Investigative Demands—Delegation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-44.201.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-44.202 Overview of Authorized Investigative Demands—Limitations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-44.202.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-44.200. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.