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CONTACT: Stephanie Smiley, (608)
266-1683
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL LAUNCHES WEBSITE FOR
REPORTING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FRAUD AND ABUSE
MADISON—The Office of the Inspector General (OIG), an office within
the Department of Health Services (DHS), today announced a new website for
reporting possible public assistance fraud. Those who suspect anyone of
fraudulent activity in public assistance programs can report fraud online
at dhs.wisconsin.gov or by calling
the Office of the Inspector General Fraud Hotline at 1-877-865-3432.
“Since many of our investigations begin after we receive tips from
the public, our goal is to make it as easy as possible for people to
report suspected fraud,” said Inspector General Alan White. “My office
processes and reviews all of the tips we receive. If we find violations of
state and federal laws, we work with law enforcement and the Department of
Justice to take the appropriate action.”
The hotline received 410 calls in the first three months, with 90
percent relating to recipient fraud, waste or abuse. Some 45 percent of
the calls resulted in further investigation. The new website is expected
to receive a similar number of fraud tips, leading to additional
investigations.
The Department of Health Services manages many of the state’s largest
public assistance programs, including Medicaid, FoodShare, the Women,
Infants and Children (WIC) supplemental food program and the state portion
of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The OIG is responsible for DHS
fraud detection efforts, implementing fraud prevention budget initiatives
and any final recommendations made by the Governor’s Commission on
Waste, Fraud and Abuse.
The OIG investigates fraud tips for any type of abuses of public
resources such as:
- Billing Medicaid for services/equipment not provided
- Filing a false application for a DHS-funded assistance program such
as Medicaid, BadgerCare Plus, WIC or FoodShare
- Trafficking of FoodShare benefits
- Crime/misconduct/mismanagement by a DHS employee/official or
contractor
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Last Revised:
March 23, 2012
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