Fogelman opposes Walz's proposed solution to fraud woes

The latest news release from District 21B Rep. Marj Fogelman accuses Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz of trying to solve the state's fraud problem by giving more authority to the people who let it thrive in the first place.

Fogelman explained that as part of the governor’s “transformation” of human services, Managed Care Organizations would be eliminated to give recipient eligibility decisions to the state's Department of Human Services. She said that decision would lead to the hiring of many more permanent state employees, which would add to Minnesotans’ tax burden as the state already faces a more than $3 billion deficit in the next budget cycle.

“This is an agency that has accosted fraud whistleblowers and backdated documents to dodge independent scrutiny,” said Fogelman (R-Fulda). “We need more independent eyes looking for fraud, not more people from within trying to cover things up."

Fogelman added that the technology counties use to implement programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid needs to be updated. She said the 30-to-40-year-old software is outdated, inefficient, and doing next to nothing to help identify potential fraudsters.