Rep. Summerfield Statement on U.S. Office of Inspector General Audit
Steps Taken to Curb Payments to Deceased Public Benefits Recipients
BLOOMER- In their recent September audit of Wisconsin’s Medicaid program, the U.S. Office of Inspector General found that the State made 1,654 capitation payments totaling $589,478 on behalf of deceased beneficiaries between 2010-15. Following the audit’s release, Rep. Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer) issued the following statement:
“After it came to my attention this past session that neither the Department of Health Services (DHS), nor the Department of Children and Families (DCF), were required to run their respective public benefit databases against national death records, I worked with my colleagues to find a solution.
To fix this problem, I introduced a bill requiring DHS and DCF to identify participants that are deceased and remove them from their rolls every three months. This legislation was included as an amendment to the Wisconsin Works for Everyone welfare reform package passed this April and is now law.
I am glad we acted on this commonsense reform that combats fraud and guarantees public benefits go to those who need them. Going forward the changes we implemented in the Wisconsin Works for Everyone welfare reform package will prevent these frivolous payments and ensure integrity in our public benefit systems.”
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The 67th Assembly District includes portions of Dunn and Chippewa counties.