Dead People Received IHSS Benefits, Controller Reports. Lax state and county oversight of In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program payments may have cost the state more than $11 million in 2008, Controller John Chiang said, noting that this money was distributed despite the providers or recipients of care being deceased.
As samples, the controller reviewed Fresno and San Diego counties, where questionable payments totaling $464,000 and $538,700, respectively, were made in 2008 in cases involving IHSS providers or recipients whose names and Social Security numbers were listed in the Social Security Administration Death Master File or the California Department of Public Health's Vital Statistics Death File.
The IHSS program is administered by the California Department of Social Services. The program provides services such as housecleaning, meal preparation, shopping and personal care to keep eligible individuals in their homes instead of in nursing homes or board-and-care facilities.
The controller's survey showed that counties were slow to take action to stop payment or to recoup overpayments, even when evidence suggested the payments were fraudulent.
In one case, Fresno County referred a case involving a deceased recipient to the county fraud investigation unit on February 9, 2009. As of June 2009, the county was continuing to submit claims for services provided to this apparently dead recipient.
The controller's report recommends that the Department of Social Services develop comprehensive policies and procedures for counties to follow to determine the validity of payments, and to improve case file tracking. In addition, the report recommends that the department conduct periodic field visits to ensure county compliance. (Source: State Controller John Chiang news release, February 1.)
(Cal-Tax recommendation: We urge the state and local governments to implement the recommendations made by the controller. We also recommend that the controller build upon his good work by expanding the review of IHSS payments to additional counties.)
Cal-TaxReports, February 8, 2010
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