AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage has submitted another late-session bill designed to further crack down on the misuse of public benefits in Maine.
LD 1888 would add eight new fraud investigator positions to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Family Independence. It also would make the the unauthorized transfer or possession of electronic benefit transfer, or EBT, cards a Class D crime and would prohibit the use of EBT cards at liquor stores, gambling facilities and adult entertainment businesses.
EBT cards are used by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, assistance, also known as food stamps, but the bill addresses other welfare programs, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF.
Asked why the proposal was not included in the governor’s recent supplemental budget or a plan to restructure the Department of Health and Human Services, LePage’s spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said LD 1888 was a policy bill rather than a budget bill.
However, the governor’s $37 million supplemental budget that faces public hearings this week contains a number of nonbudget-related policy initiatives.
Either way, LD 1888 would have to go to the Appropriations Committee because it would increase the DHHS budget by about $675,000 for the 2012-13 fiscal year.
Members of the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee are expected to hold a public hearing on the bill Wednesday.
Since he was elected, Gov. LePage has talked often about how Maine’s welfare system had encouraged dependency and complacency. Last summer, the governor created a Fraud and Abuse Prevention Team to help identify ways to combat the problem of welfare abuse.
The nine-member team, made up of members of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of the Attorney General, was given two charges: To identify fraud before it happens and to make sure all cases of potentially illegal activity are properly investigated.
Herb Downs, who has chaired that team, said Monday that the number of fraud and abuse referrals has doubled over the past year, from 1,200 to about 2,400.
LD 1888, he said, grew out of discussion by that task force.
Critics, such as Sara Gagne-Holmes of Maine Equal Justice Partners, see the bill as the latest attempt by an administration that seems intent on singling out poor people.
“Each obstacle you put in someone’s way and each time you stigmatize, the program hurts people,” she said.
John Martins, spokesman for DHHS, said the goal is not to stigmatize those who are receiving public assistance but to better educate them and to deter those who seek to abuse the system.
He said increased awareness and media coverage of high-profile fraud cases has contributed to the surge in referrals and the need for more investigators. Martins did not have the number of cases that have resulted in convictions.
But Gagne-Holmes said the high number means nothing.
“It means there are a lot of people who are economically insecure who don’t want to see people frauding the system,” she said.
Gagne-Holmes said another piece of the bill bothers her as well. Currently, recipients of TANF or food stamps can be held liable if they receive overpayment of benefits.
The governor’s bill would apply that liability to MaineCare.
“How do you pay it back? It’s health care,” Gagne-Holmes said.
Gov. LePage has been a vocal critic of many public assistance programs and has pushed policy proposals to tighten what he sees as an overly generous system. So far, he has capped limits on TANF, reduced eligibility for MaineCare and tried twice to cut the state’s share of general assistance to communities.
Last November, the governor also indicated he would submit legislation that would require welfare recipients to submit to random drug testing.
On Monday, though, Bennett said it was not likely that bill would come up until next year.
Others states have passed laws instituting drug testing for welfare recipients but there have been questions about the constitutionality of such laws.
Let me see if I will pass Political Science 101: The difference between a policy bill and budget bill is the following. There’s money to enact the governor’s pet policies but there’s no more money for the budget to be stretched another buck. Where is the money coming from? I’d have to study Creative Accounting before tackling that one.
And he want’s eliminate the income tax provision’s on pension’s ? That’s not Creative Accounting. That’s either Science Fiction written at the MHPC or fraud. “Maine, the way life should be ‘ ? Yeah, right. And where can I get some of what he’s smoking ?
Does he have eight family members that need jobs??
LePage can crack the backs of the poor all he wants. The mega-millionaire SuperPACs own this country and particular the Republican party. The rich get richer, the rest of us will be stealing bread before long, just to feed our children.
LOL….yeah bambi and the dems don’t use superpacs
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/03/obamas-super-pac-argues-that-c-nt-and-tw-t-are-not-as-bad-as-slut/
do you have anything factual to add?
Republican Pacs far outweigh Dem Pacs, but I think both parties are corrupt:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/1/gop-super-pacs-outpace-democrats/
Wonders will never cease.
You should visit a third world country where there are actually poor people. The rich are getting richer, so aren’t the poor. Compare the poor family of 2012 with the poor family of 1912, much different.
What is interesting is that for those who are not fortunate enough to be able to afford food, housing, etc. many never think to blame the government, it’s always the rich peoples fault. As if rich people are somehow “stealing” from the poor. But tell me, what has high levels of inflation, rampant government spending, and overall poor monetary policy done to the price of food and other essential goods? I can tell you that it has not made it cheaper, which ironically doesn’t effect the rich very much, but really hurts the poor and middle class.But back to the point, how is LePage cracking the backs of the poor exactly? This article is about a bill that essentially cracks down on welfare fraud, how is that a bad thing?
After your denial that there are any poor people in America, I just stopped reading.
That’s too bad, there are some good arguments in there.
I did not say that there are no poor people in America, I said that Americas poor would hardly be considered poor when compared to those in other undeveloped countries. In other words, the poor in America have it pretty good compared to many in the underdeveloped world.
Damned right! Just ask Obama’s Auntie Zeituni Onyango how great it is here. She has been staying illegally and collecting welfare and free housing in Boston for decades. She has been living way better than 90% of the people who stayed in Kenya. Since she has nothing, I think it only fair that Obama pick up the tab for her mooching.
The government keeps redefining “poor” upwards. Poor today frequently means that there is no place for the baby to sleep except for the box the color TV came in.
With todays technology TVs are getting thinner and thinner, and the available space for the baby to sleep is getting smaller and smaller. I believe that we should have a government mandate requiring TV manufactures to package their TVs in less narrow boxes, thus to provide babies with adequate sleeping space. The greedy 1% running “Big TV” are intentionally packaging their TVs in narrow boxes because they are greedy. This must stop, we are the 99%.
A matter of equitable taxation is missing. People do not hate the wealthy. Even those with admirable incomes attest to the fact that taxation is unfair in its present format.
Well, only certain ones. You have to realize that my primary reason for not liking taxes because they go to a corrupt, and overall, really screwed up government.
If I were given the choice to give 20% of my income to the government as taxes, or to charity, I would actually enjoy giving it to charity. By giving it to charity at least I can give to good causes, and to organizations that I know aren’t as screwed up as the government is.
Besides, the problem with a tax code in which the top 10% are paying 50% of the taxes is that their income is very volatile. When you have a recession, sometimes as many as half or more of those in the top tax brackets may lose their income, and then you just lost 25% of your total tax revenues. This is, in part, the big drop in revenues since the “great recession” started.
Besides, I don’t see how our tax system currently favors the wealthy, and is thus “unfair.” The wealthiest Americans pay a majority of the taxes.
Nah, many would be too lazy to steal bread. They would need the government to steal from their neighbors for them.
Then I guess you better start earning your own way, because once you start stealing bread…well that’s a good way to get shot.
If that’s what you really believe you should consider changing your name to ” Bat House dweller”.
More then that, just wait and see….
The only qualification needed the DNA has to match
Hopefully , successful folks tend to surround themselves with people they trust.Once again the guv is doing the job he was hired to do.Kudos Paul.
That’s right. Bring in the family. Who gives a rat’s tail about nepotism? They don’t in China, Russia,North Korea, Syria, Iran, and…
What exactly is your problem with nepotism,one of the best things about being a successful businessman is working with the people I care about the most who also happen to be family.
In any family owned business, nepotism is a way of life. In tax-financed government operations it is totally unethical and unacceptable.
Why
I don’t care who he hires as long as they get the job done. After all is said and done that’s the bottom line isn’t it.
Right. Who cares about ethics?
Show me an ethical politician !
Show me anyone who obeys all the rules !
Yeah and he’s going to pay them each $84,375 a year to help curb fraud…hahaha!
Get them deadbeats Gov.
Right on. Get them 68,000 deadbeats off medical assistance. And close the schools if you don’t. Tea party republicans couldn’t care less, jest as long as you get them critters, Big Paul.
Le Page just do as you damn well please. You are in total control. You are not a governor. We recognize you as a powerful bully in total control of the State of Maine. The Legislature exists in name only.
Glad you are finally coming around.Get em Gov.
Let’s see DHHS is in the red and so it is logical to hire 9 people who make 5 figure salaries to cut costs. Is this like throwing out the baby and bath water? It seems state government and our national congress seems it is cost cutting by adding jobs. I may be simple but does that make sense? Maine is open for business because State jobs are needed to keep track more State jobs. Just sayin’.
Bigger government. Some fiscal conservative this fraud is.
Hahaha, and we’re supposed to dismantle the failed, unsustainable system that the democrats created by utilizing the very same system with no changes and new hires whatsoever?
This is the work of a fiscal conservative rationally attempting to repair the failed sytem that irrational people established on the simple pretense of emotion alone.
The frauds are those who insist their unsustainable system of welfare is something we should continue to ‘invest’ in (i.e. pay for against our own will…the opposite of charity).
Thankfully, LePage see these folks for the greedy, narrow minded frauds they truly are…
Its our civic duty to sit still with our hands on our laps, keep our mouths shut, and support the system that has been in place for so long and has only gotten bigger from the influx of “guests from away” that don’t have any residency restrictions. We are supposed to believe that welfare fraud is so minute, that it wouldn’t even make a dent in the budget. If we support these types of policies, or speak negatively toward this system, we are haters. I say B.S. on this one. I’m glad we finally have a governor thats got the spine to recognize what is wrong with this state. It’s a mentality that has been fostered for too long. As long as we are giving away all this money, taxing anything that doesn’t move into oblivion. I believe help should be there for those that legitimately need it, and there should be a vehicle in place to encourage those that are on the system to seek education while on benefits and eventually achieve independence. The current system doesn’t even allow people to be full time college students. Time for an overhaul governor.
Lots of creative accounting going on. We’re broke but we can get rid of the income tax and hire more people. Huh?
It’s a throwback to the fuzzy math!!
LD 1888 will have to increase the DHHS budget by about $675,000 for the 2012-13 fiscal year. This looks like more pandering to those on the far far right to me. The only way this could make any sense what-so-ever is if it can be anticipated that these eight new positions will cover their 675k cost. The only place I see that kind of cash being collected would be in the Tree Program (Poliquin) or selling “Depends” at 4 times cost (Nutting). Oh wait, are these eight new people related to Mr. Lepage? That would explain everything.
“But Gagne-Holmes said the high number means nothing. It means there are a lot of people who are economically insecure who don’t want to see people frauding the system, she said.”
So does she also believe that there are a lot of economocally secure people who want to see people frauding the system?
“Gagne-Holmes said another piece of the bill bothers her as well. Currently, recipients of TANF or food stamps can be held liable if they receive overpayment of benefits. The governor’s bill would apply that liability to MaineCare. How do you pay it back? It’s health care, Gagne-Holmes said.” Does she not understand that the State gets a bill for this healthcare that they in turn pay with taxpayer money.
I try very hard, but for the life of me I can not understand where these people come from!!!!
Why stop there?
How about a full-time independent staffer at the Blaine House whose job is to crack down on misuse of power, ethical violations, lobbyist-written legislation, lies, nepotism, and pandering to special interests?
Another staffer could be attached to the legislature.
The money spent would be well worth it.
You’d need more than one.Eight should do it.Put one in Nutting’s office,one in the MHPC -the list goes on.Count the savings and indictments like a slot machine.
WAIT JUST A MINUTE TILL I STOP SCRATCHING MY HEAD , AND RUB MY EYES TO SEE IF I CAN FIGURE OUT THE LOGIC IN WHAT I THINK I JUST READ FOR A COST TO BENEFIT FIGURE !
Are you done yet?
Will these new positions be allowed to investigate misuse of DHHS funds by the LePage Administration ?
I don’t think he would abuse his office.
oh yes he would and he would get away with it
One word. Naivity !
LOVE IT!
Maine” the rich folks state”, “almost like florida but whiter and cooler.”
Now you’re talking!
Family on the way… Will they be hired at Marden’s wage base?
If you have a problem with the minimum wage then perhaps you should tackle that law instead of the employers that use it !
One good piece of legislation at last!
I agree….go get them…
Pretty transparent folks, how hard is it to know what LePage is thinking and doing. He is in the news every day telling us his plans. The best governor we have had in 16 years is Paul LePage.
LOL good joke.
Doesn’t take much to discount Angus.
How is the air quality in your bubble? Maine’s current government was listed as one of the most corrupt in America today (Top 8).
“how is the air quality in your bubble?”
I guess you gotta breath it to believe it…
Too much bubbly? The Baldacci years received an F in ethics.
Too much Allen’s more like.
I can picture LaPage’s family sitting around debating the ‘8’ new job positions and which member of the LePage clan are ‘qualified’ for each position…..
that’s my thought as well–perhaps he will offer one or more of the positions to his, as he call him. ‘his black son’ or i’m sure there are other lepage clansmen who would clammor as a state funded position with full benes, perks, etc!
And New Jersey was listed as one of the least corrupt. That survey was absolute nonsense and you know it.
Please quote your source.
can you give us a source?
I agree. Maine voted for Paul Lepage because they did not want a polished politician. They wanted someone who would take their gloves off, not speak from both sides of their mouth, and say whatever is on their mind and not hold back. Hat’s off to Mr. Governor Lepage for serving Maine the way Mainer’s expect.
We have him not because we voted for him, but because too many of us voted for someones else.
Most of us Mainers did not vote for him. We just got stuck with him.
The majority of us didn’t vote for Angus King or Baldacci but we got stuck with them and you don’t hear us whine about their failed visionless leadership. Unlike the Liberals who continue to the constant crying , they whine about everything that LePage does they even whine when he speaks. The guy can’t do anything without him getting criticized by the moonbats here in Maine. The Liberals need to get a grip and start doing something constructive. If they do something that moves Maine foward in the right direction than we might start paying attention to them.
Are you serious? All you do is whine when LePage is criticized, and call his detractors “welfare bums”.
There are no bigger crybabies than the TPers.They don’t pay anything even close to their fair share,they want all the goodies that society provides without doing anything for it and are just a cancer on this country that you and I are paying for.The cancer must be excised and thrown in the trash.
Le Page has been whining since he was elected. Nothing in this state meets with his approval. Nothing. You either agree with him and the tea party, or, you’re a something or the other.
His prime ethic is to kick 68,000 poor , or, almost broke people off medical care. He was ready to do this , or, close the schools. Everything in Maine, in his mind, is steeped in fraud.
He and his supporters believe that as governor he has unilateral right to do as he pleases. The Legislature doesn’t exist. Democrats just spin around his turbulent outbursts like they’re hopelessly caught in a whirlpool.
His gaga supporters cry foul when we explode over his nepotism, and his belligerent, bullying, and oafish actions. The “welfare bums” is a trademark of this poster. So embittered one day, he pounded out an erratic tag against his adversary: “left wing, socialistic, communist, Marxist.”
Well, to be fair – after decades of mismanagement in Maine, there is a LOT to be fixed.
Oh please get a grip with reality this state is broke and we don’t pay for all of these lazy folks anymore. Last time I knew this is a free country we can criticize Liberals for all of their failings.
I know you would rather have us have our rights taken away and have our pockets drained from the legalized theft so you can continue getting handouts. Well guess what its not going to happen anymore. The state is joining the rest of the country by making those lazy bums get a job. Even that Liberal Democrat who is posing as an Independent Angus King says we should start cutting Welfare Spending. He should take his own advice because he started the Welfare Expansion himself.
See??? Told Ya.
All you do is whine and insult those who don’t agree with you. A respectful difference of opinion is not whining! I don’t “whine” about him, I’m appalled by everything he says and does. If just so happens that my opinion is different than yours. If you listen and actually hear what others are saying, you might actually learn something. Have a nice day.
Cry me a river all you Liberals want to is continue to steal from working folks so you don’t have to get jobs. We are tired of paying for all of you. The voters spoke loud and clear when they rejected the Liberals Socialist Agenda in 2010 the fact is its time for these programs to be eliminated they don’t work. It is time to make everyone who is on Welfare get jobs. The Cold Hard Facts Maine is moving in the right direction ant that is something Liberals can’t stand.
Would you like some cheese with that……………………….
“Moonbats”. Perfect!!!
Rips me to see his face stuck above each story where he’s ripping someone to pieces, or, whining about fraud and welfare, then, amid fanatical fan applause, hires his brother -in-law to a $69,000 job.
Hopefully, for your anti-anti sake, and others of his ilk, he’ll get a grip on himself before he goes to communist China to tell them we’re open for business.Then again, one unchecked retort to a high ranking communist Chinese, similar to what we are accustomed to – “Kiss my butt” – might alleviate our chomping at the bit for a recall. Over there he can expand his skills on directing a commune.
You are on here Every Day “””Whineing”””!
You are only fooling yourself!
Most people didn’t vote for Clinton and we got stuck with him. You know what he turned out to be a good President after all.
He was a great President LOL. If it wasn’t for the Republican Congress led by Newt Gingrich, Bob Dole etc. nothing would have gotten done. It would be like what Obama is now but to a lesser extent. We wouldn’t have had Welfare Reform , Balanced Budgets, Huge Surplus. Now we have today’s Jimmy Carter in Obama us heading down to a path to financial ruins with Welfare running rampant.
Newt paid a$300,000 fine to Congress for a lack of ethics. He also used his Congressional post to serve as a lobbyist for some of Wall Street’s Big brokers.
He was one most vocally abusive castigators of Clinton, despite the fact he was immersed in his own heavy sexual dalliances at the time.
Now he’s ready to shoot for a Moon Colony and solve the unemployment problem by putting poor black Harlem students to work scrubbing school toilets.
This guy never gives up. He, Like others, is blind to eight years of Bush-Cheny’s creation of a two trillion dollar debt by creating a war based on a lie.
President Obama has proven time and again, when it comes to ridding the world of terrorists and freeing oppressed people, he is beyond par.
I wonder if the Clintons and Ms. Lewinsky’s parents are swapping Christmas cards.
Cuban Cigars?
NAFTA , ” no ” sex with the office girls , sax playing on SNL……..great leader …….
Well, I hear he helped the dry cleaning industry bigtime. Blue Dress…?
Nothing whatsoever to do with MC and Maine taxpayers.
That’s right. He was good. He also handed over a fantastic surplus to Bush who quickly got rid of it. And, he shouldn’t knock Clinton. If Le Page steps in the Goo-Ga in China, Clint may be called on to rescue him. He’s also very good at pulling people out of the paddies.
Not “If” but “When”Maybe we can hope LePage disappears into a Chinese prison after he insults his hosts.
Let’s go back thirty years and look at the former presidents.
D.
Clinton-worked in Haiti,Clinton Global Initiative.
Carter-still building houses in his 80’s for Habitat For Humanity.
R.
Reagan-drooling simpleton
Bush 1-rode on Bill’s coattails for a few human rights photo ops.
Bush 2-too gutless to even show his face.No R’s looking for endorsements.
I say it’s about time we “got stuck” with a businessman instead of a vote seeking politician.
‘
And with your efforts we can fix things this November and in 2014.
I’m sure going to try!!!
Thanks!That is what Maine needs.I always look forward to your incisive comments.
Thank you.
YVW
Most of us Mainers did not vote for Baldacci either. But we got stuck with him also.
When your grasp of the facts is shaky, your memory unreliable, your worldview limited, and your people skills poor, speaking your mind is often not a good idea.
Which of LePage’s two conflicting stories about the mural are we to believe, for example? Or what about the big fat one he recently told about the agreement with Millinocket? Tax breaks for the poor? Yeah, right, Governor. Both you and your friends at ALEC, keep looking out for those poor folks, won’t you?
Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to confuse coarseness with honesty.
Like too many politicians, LePage will say whatever suits his purpose. Just because he throws in a few cuss words doesn’t mean he’s telling the truth.
Don’t care in the least how he does it, as long as he gets it done.
Oh, and the stupid mural that the liberals are still whining about is exactly where it belongs.
In the big scheme of things, everything LePage is “doing” will be undone.
The ballot box backlash next fall and again two years from that will be massive . . . and Mr. LePage’s legacy will be 4 years of bullying followed by a lot of legislation being undone.
Lasting change can only be brought about by changing the hearts and minds of people. It can only happen through dialogue and mutual respect.
He has Bennett speaking out of both sides of her mouth for him
It is true, he is unpolished, at times lacking in couth.
That’s because he’s narcissistic and like to look at his picture in the paper every day. He is the worstgovernor Maine has ever had.
Actually I disagree Ken Curtis, Joe Brennan, Angus King and Baldacci are the worst Governors Maine has ever had.
You weren’t even around when Ken Curtis was governor, much less Reid.
Totally bad. He is the worst we’ve had.
Be right back,……..gotta go to the bathroom, to throw up! ..”the best governor we have had in 16 years”………….How many of those other governors,…..lie and bully? How many have threatened and taunted, cajoled and compromised targeted municipalities (the Nockets) in order to get what they wanted?
Thank god there is an election in November, hopefully, the new legislature will be able to realize that we need executive recall laws.
Ha Ha…wipe your chin little trooper, there is a lot more to come.
Yeah , we need someone in there who again will smile at us all the time and tell us what we want to hear !
Actually, he is the ONLY Governor Maine has had in the last 16 years. The rest were, well, you know.
They were governors. Le Page isn’t.
The Gypsies are surely playing you!
Why wasn’t this included in the DHHS reorganization bill? LePage is playing the age old game of putting serious legislation before the Legislature during the last month of the session. As a matter of fact, he is doing this more than any previous administration. Well, my response is that if the legislation is so important, then it should have been submitted back in January or preferably during the first regular session.
You state it’s a fact that he’s doing this more , could you quote your source please. By the way , why must our legislature work ” part time ” ?
Because we don’t want to pay them to work “full time”.
They shouldn’t get paid at all. To many career politicians are what’s got this country into the mess it’s in.
I hope they find more than the Charlies did.
Does this include MaineCare fraud? Will ROBert Nutting finally be investigated???
Why do you keep beating a dead horse Baldy, Brenda Harvey, Steven Rowe (Baldy’s AG) all thought the settlement that Nutting made it was ok for them. If Nutting did such a bad job why does the Very Liberal District he is from (Waterville/Oakland/Fairfield area) keep electing him by large margins each and every time. Even after he made the settlement he has been voted in several times. Even 1 of the elections a few years ago the Democrats ran noone. So it goes to tell you that Democrats think Nutting is doing a good job or they wouldn’t have voted him in. So why don’t you put the focus on the real issues Democrats refusing to cut their generous welfare programs they giving out to everyone who wants to jump on the wagon.
Why do the people of Maine keep electing the same politicians to office and then act supprised when NOTHING changes nothing gets done and the state goes further in debt ? Perhaps the people of this great state will wake up one day and realize Maines biggest problem is the people WE put in Agusta time and time again
Uncle drinky’s upset that he won’t be able to use his EBT card at the liquor store anymore.
Will those hired all be members of LIEpage’s immediate family???
I don’t think he considers in-laws “Immediate family.” So it’s ok.
” Last summer, the governor created a Fraud and Abuse Prevention Team … the number of fraud and abuse referrals has doubled over the past year, from 1,200 to about 2,400.”
I’m not opposed to this idea however a key piece of information is missing here. It’s not surprising that referrals have increased given the emphasis this administration has placed on “welfare” abuse, but how many of the referrals have resulted in prosecution or guilty pleas? By publicizing only the referrals it leaves the impression that the task force has uncovered a hot bed of abuse when in fact it may be that the publicity has just increased public awareness and therefore reporting. I’d like to know which it is.
I’m sure that you’ve been reading newspapers and watching commercial TV news for quite some time. Take a moment and think back 5 or 10 years ago to recall if you’ve *ever* seen social benefits fraud prosecuted in the past. I’ll wager that if you can remember any you could count the number of cases on the fingers of one hand. Now, reports of social benefit court cases appear in the papers almost weekly. Moral: if you never look for fraud, you’re never going to find any. And if you never find any that lends credence to some politicians’ arguments of the near past that “there’s no fraud” or “there’s no significant amount of social benefits fraud”. Human nature being what it is, experience should tell all of us that whenever government operates benefits programs at no cost to the recipients with virtually no perceived chance by the recipients of being caught for wrongdoing that abuse will go unchecked.
I’m sure that increased public awareness and reporting have contributed to the number of referrals as you have suggested. However, the proof of the pudding is in the number of convictions that the State secures, and that number appears to be increasing as time goes on.
It isn’t that fraud wasn’t dealt with before LePage, it’s just become his focus and, therefore, more publicized. His way of making people think he’s doing something.
I’m willing to bet that that 2400 put some thought in to just how they spend their welfare money. That on it’s own should prevent some abuse and that indicates to me that the program is already successful. We all have heard of or even know someone who has or does abuse the system from time to time.
Instead of these people doing their jobs in an office…I certianly hope they go back and do things the way they use to do them….with a camera and surprise visits…Alot of these frauds have already been turned in more than once…if someone tells you that they are working under the table then that is exactly what they should be investigating with cameras in tow to their job location…point…shoot…and voila!
I was thinking the same thing. I think that best way to catch fraud would be by using detectives out in the field taking pictures, getting video, etc. I hope that this will be a part of the plan in the fraud dept.
you really want to get fraud exposed put these new positions on commision
The eight positions should go to grocery store, pharmacy, and convenience store employees
I like the governor when he cracks down on welfare fraud, however when we wants to pay for religous education and make pensions tax free I wonder what goes on in his head.
The Governor is doing what he promised. Dems hate him for it. Go Lepage, get the deadbeats off welfare.
The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’ -Ronald Reagan
The most terrifying name in the English language
-Ronald Reagan
Unless these positions can cover the cost of their salaries/benefits/pension costs this does not seem to make sense. My fear is that we are going to have ourselves another witch hunt similar to election fraud (which I found quite entertaining given how a recent caucus played out) and we simply hurt the budget rather than assist it. At a time when our Governor is threatening to send school children home early due to lack of funding, from where are these funds being sourced?
I find nothing entertaining in lying skunks.
For the last 15 months chicken little has had his associate henny penny running to and fro proclaiming the state is broke , the state is broke, the state is broke ….. over the last three weeks he continually has pushed her to the front with some new tax cut or expenditure. Which way is it ? Broke or not broke ? Or does he have some other slush fund to pay for this we are not aware of ? Nah probably just some more money he can take from the elderly, disabled or the young.
Now we need $ 675,000 for positions in DHHS. Please tell us Mr LePage … how many more unemployed relatives do you have in Florida ? Or is this another gimic you have to lure Mainers back from Florida ?
For support Herb Downs pulls the fraud and abuse referral number of 2400 again. As I recall from months ago seems that of the 2400 had lead to what .. 10 inditements … no convictions just inditements. And now as then no one can seem to give us any idea of how much money this saved us. Does anyone in your administration have any grasp of real numbers?
I am all in favor of preventing and prosecuting fraud but Mr LePage you seem somewhat fixated on punishing the poor. All the while attempting to speaking out both sides of your mouth. Hmm let me take that back. Make that Ms Bennett’s mouth.
I am not sure we need to throw a lot of these folks in jail, with the legal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt. A simple getting them off the program would be enough for me.
I wonder which reletives he’ll hire for these positions and pay them twice what they’re worth????
Twice zero is still zero.
While your at it, it would be helpful to get someone to start catching these dead beat dads or moms to make them pay child support. I was told ” there was nothing they could do that i may as well just give up”.
Is this another crackdown? Make the poor criminals Look around the crimes of murderm theft, bathsalts. abound. The fraud can be identified at the application process. I think looking for fraud and protecting private people from violent crimes is very important.
Isn’t it strange? The same people who laugh at gypsy fortune tellers
take DHHS projections seriously.
I’d like to know how this will be tracked. $675,000 is a lot of money. ‘Referrals’ is one thing. Convictions are another. If this gets to be law, I hope the BDN will track it carefully and report quarterly on the savings.
The State recovered 2 million dollars of the estimated 4 million dollars it found as fraudulent last year and that was just TANF/SNAP. Most of the fraud can be stopped at the beginning of the application process. Retiring a few mid-level managers just might put more people on the front line to help the application process. Let’s hope they get it right.
Your source???
?????tryng to post?
No one cares. I know people who have called to report misuse and no one f’ing cares. Fire anyone who has been there more than 5 yrs and start over
I would gladly volunteer X amount of hours per week to help get these crooks off welfare and food stamps! The only “pay” I would ask for would be the satisfaction of knowing these theives were caught and lost all eligibilty to all the free programs that are so readily available to them. Reports need to be aknowledged, followed up on and consequences bestowed. I know alot of people in Aroostook County who work under the table, live with the child(ren)’s mother, mother collects TANF, father pays $00.00 in child support, the whole family are on Maine-Care. They are alot better off than the working Mom’s and Dad’s who are trying to make ends meet. It’s a family tradition in alot of cases. People wonder why the State of Maine is going broke, look around people! I’m sure everyone knows someone that is doing the exact same thing as I mentioned above. It’s everywhere but, why is our state the one they choose to move to….because it’s been much too easy for far too long. They don’t call it “Vacationland” for nothing!!!!
Ahh making good on another campaign promise-Thank you Gov. LePage! If people can’t get hired for a job without a drug test, it ought to be the same for welfare, seems reasonable to me.
Boy I am beginning to feel I am on a rollercoaster. Last I knew this State was in debt and LePage was talking cutbacks to services.. And now Lepage wants to hire DHHS employees? Where is this money going to come from?
More cuts of services, education, road repair, etc. You know, stuff we don’t need.
Perhaps he just wants to hire DHHS employees that will work toward the betterment of their employeer !
???
8 positions at 675k. thats around 84k a pop. nice. I want that job.
La Plague has a lot of family who are unemployed.
DHHS is STILL facing a huge short fall and here this clown goes again spending money the state (and DHHS) dosent have .Where is the $675k a year supposed to come from ? I dont know about you but I think that money would be put to better use toward closing the budget shortfall…….enough of this “We dont have enough money to cover what we spend so lets just spend more”. I live in the real world…..cant say the same for those clowns in Agusta
In President LBJ”s 1964 State of the Union adress, he stated a new policy. It was called a “War on Poverty” NOT a war on the poor.
LePage has no problem giving jobs to family members so that they may sap off the system, but screw the rest of us. He has stated that he wants drug testing for people receiving Mainecare, now wants a task force to look into fraud in the Mainecare system. Nationwide welfare fraud is 8 to 9 %. How much money is all of this going to cost? Looks like he’s spending a dollar to save a dime.
Here’s an easy money saving idea, kick everyone off of any insurance paid for by the taxpayers ( including the Gov) that is overweight. An unhealthy weight causes many health problems,stroke,heartattack, ect. Then you wouldn’t have to pay for anything more than a bathroom scale and a BMI index chart.
In President LBJ”s 1964 State of the Union
That is the best one yet the gov. is cutting positions from DHHS and making new ones at a bigger salary then the old ones,can their be more relatives in the wings ,why not use the people already there or have the ones that approve the applications actually look at them and do a little leg work to check them, maybe if he throws enough money and relatives at it the problem will fix itself.
It is about time……
That is indeed the case today. The governments takes YOUR bread, under the implied threat of force, and GIVES it to indolent jerkoffs who have no intention of ever working. Check out this short video (filmed, by the way, by Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, Alexandra Pelosi!) Start the video, and then move it up to the 4:20 mark. http://nation.foxnews.com/welfare/2012/03/19/i-m-here-tryin-get-some-obama-bucks-shocking-welfare-video-hbo-tried-kill
Do you have to be a family member to apply?
I’m certainly no fan of Governor LePage, but I like this proposal. If these investigators are put in place and if they’re given the resources and backing to do the job, they should easily be able to recover much more than the $675,000 that it would cost. If not, the jobs shouldn’t be created, or they should be phased out if they can’t, or aren’t allowed to, produce the desired results. Having the investigators might serve as a deterrent to those who would abuse our assistance programs; they might be less likely to commit fraud if it were likely that they’d be caught.
So we can pay 8 MORE people to go after welfare fraud, but we can’t afford extra law enforcement to work on child pornography cases. What is wrong with these people? I’m against fraud too, but the priorities seem skewed to me.
If the new 9 member Fraud & Abuse prevention couldn’t prevent fraud & abuse from doubling this year. What can we expect from 8 more added to the team. Come-on Gov …….. play it straight.
Are the original 9 doing their job or should they be re-evaluated.
I thought the state was broke. LePage has so many pots cooking that he will never get the meal ready.
Cut back so many people on Maine Care, add personnel to the fraud squad, fight over the money on the landfill, loosing jobs left and right but Maine is Open For Business. The mess he is making will take years to sort out after he is out of office.
I guess we know where the money cut from the legal defense fund is going.
I wonder how many more of LePage’s relatives need work?
The legislature has no choice but to add people for oversight because the employees there now will not do it. Public money,who cares?
I am totally in favor of catching people who commit fraud and have no problem having staff to uncover it. Fraud steals from all of us and deprives people who are truly in need.
However, there is something about the philosophy behind creating these new positions that does concern me. Mr. LePage’s budget proposed eliminating about 65,000 MaineCare recipients as a classification of childless adults, without any review of individual circumstances. No consideration was given to determining how many of those 65,000 people continue to need help, for example, because of physical and/or mental health deficiencies.
If staff can be hired to conduct reviews and investigate to root out abuse and fraud, why couldn’t the same approch be used to identify people who are justified to receive social services? Such a process would also help to determine who should be dropped because of ineligibility.
Hey, at least it would give more jobs!
http://ebtcardbalance.com/