SENATOR BADDOUR LAUDS GOVERNOR’S WELFARE FRAUD INITIATIVE
SENATOR BADDOUR LAUDS GOVERNOR’S WELFARE FRAUD INITIATIVE
Hopes to Collaborate Further with Patrick Administration and Auditor Bump to Eliminate Fraud
January 25, 2012 –Governor Patrick's 2013 Budget Proposal includes funding for a new Welfare Fraud Prevention Unit within the Bureau of Special Investigations, a division of the Office of Auditor Suzanne Bump.
“I applaud Governor Patrick for taking this much needed, proactive step towards ensuring that our state’s public benefit system is helping those who need it and routing out those who are obtaining benefits fraudulently,” said Senator Baddour. “We must ensure that our taxpayers have confidence that their tax dollars are going to those who genuinely need a hand up in these difficult economic times. I look forward to collaborating with both the Governor and Auditor Bump on making additional changes to the way the welfare system is currently administered and working hard to ensure that my proposals to ensure the integrity of the public benefits system are enacted quickly.”
While the Bureau of Special Investigations currently investigates complaints and reports of welfare fraud, under Governor Patrick's proposal, the new unit will analyze data to proactively prevent and stop fraud on it own initiative.
The Bureau of Special Investigations has existed for three years and has seen a return of $2.50 for every $1 spent on investigations, identifying over $13 million in fraud over the past three years alone.
