Last Thursday, Senate Republicans rolled out a legislative action plan to stop fraud in Minnesota’s public support services and restore accountability in state government. The plan focuses on three key objectives: stricter legislative oversight, smarter use of technology to verify services, and stronger accountability for taxpayer dollars.
“Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar Minnesotans intended to help families, seniors, and people with disabilities,” said Sen. Gary Dahms (R-Redwood Falls). “It is time to stop the fraud and protect taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars.”
Our aim is to restore meaningful oversight of state agencies and spending. One bill would require legislative confirmation of agency commissioners. This reverses a recent change that allowed automatic confirmation. Another bill would ensure that services exceeding spending projections trigger automatic audits and legislative review. These measures help catch problems early and prevent fraud from spreading.
Additionally, our plan strengthens verification systems to ensure services are delivered as billed. Bills in this area expand electronic visit verification, requiring recipients to confirm services were provided. Another measure creates a “do not pay” list for individuals or entities ineligible for state payments. Managed care organizations would be required to verify eligibility before receiving full reimbursement. Technology would also flag suspicious activity for further review.
Senate Republicans are pushing for stronger accountability in Minnesota’s social services. Legislation would make it a crime for employees of the Department of Human Services (DHS) or the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to falsify records during audits. Annual fraud reports from the DHS and DCYF Office of the Inspector General would be reinstated, and all DHS and DCYF programs would face standardized, unannounced site visits. These measures aim to hold employees and providers accountable and protect taxpayer dollars.
“These bills are a step in the right direction of preventing further waste, fraud, and abuse in the State of Minnesota,” concluded Dahms.
