Benoit Bill To Crack Down On Welfare Fraud

SACRAMENTO – Senator John J. Benoit (R-Bermuda Dunes) today introduced Senate Bill 246, legislation that would create safeguards to protect California taxpayers from fraud in one of the State´s fastest-growing social welfare programs. Benoit´s legislation would require care providers for In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) to register on the county´s registry of IHSS providers, requiring a fingerprint and a background check to be conducted by the California Department of Justice. IHSS provides personal assistance and care to people who are blind, disabled, or over the age of 65.

"IHSS Care providers have a duty to care for the most vulnerable Californians, seniors and the disabled," commented Senator Benoit. "Loose oversight of this program endangers these care recipients and opens the door to widespread fraud. Losing precious State funds to fraud is unacceptable, especially in a time when the government is increasing taxes and cutting services."

An emerging pattern of IHSS fraud has occurred through the deceptive use of multiple identities. In these cases individuals obtain fraudulent Social Security numbers which they then use to apply to be their own IHSS provider. In July of 2008, 21 IHSS providers were charged in Los Angeles County with defrauding taxpayers out of more than $2 million.

The 2007-2008 Los Angeles County civil grand jury, considering the susceptibility of IHSS fraud, recommended the use of fingerprinting, photographing, conducting criminal background checks of recipients and providers, and computers to cross-reference program participants and periodically reassess recipients´ needs.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, there have been over 800 cases of alleged IHSS fraud reported to the State.