Eligibility for public programs not properly checked, state review finds

star tribune ^ | 3-24-15 | chris serres

[TurboZamboni]

A state legislative auditor’s report found that the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) failed to ensure the eligibility of participants in large public assistance programs and that it did not always perform timely inspections of child care centers.

The findings mirror those of other recent auditor reports and could fuel calls to reform the way state administrators verify eligibility for programs that together cost nearly $7 billion a year in federal money.

For more than a decade, the legislative auditor has reported flaws in the way the state determines who qualifies for Medical Assistance, which provides health insurance to about 1 million low-income and disabled Minnesotans, and other public assistance programs. For instance, last year the auditor found that 17 percent of 193 people enrolled in public health insurance programs were not eligible for the benefits they received.

Frustrated legislators are proposing changes, such as the hiring of private companies to scrub the state’s public insurance and welfare rolls to identify participants who are not eligible for public benefits.

“We absolutely have to crack down on this,” said Rep. Jim Knoblach, R-St. Cloud, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. “If people make too much money and are not eligible, then I don’t think taxpayers should be paying for them.”

[TurboZamboni]

every time they do an audit they tell us this. and it never changes.

[IronJack]

Because they’re trying to sidetrack the gravy train.