ST. PAUL, MN—Rep. Nick Zerwas, R-Elk River, who serves on the House HHS Finance Division and has been outspoken on the issue of waste, fraud, and abuse at the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), issued the following statement regarding this morning's Pioneer Press report that DHS overpaid the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and the White Earth Nation by $25 million for Medicaid services. Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles will be soon opening an investigation into the overpayments. According to a statement from Governor Walz, the overpayment issue had been occurring for five years.
"Republicans have been sounding the alarm about waste, fraud, and abuse across DHS for years—this is an agency that seems to have a blatant disregard for taxpayer dollars, and is simply not doing enough to stop activity that is costing taxpayers tens of millions each year," Zerwas said. "It's time for House Democrats to stop ignoring the turmoil at DHS, hold hearings, and get answers to the questions we all have about Minnesota's largest state agency."
All 55 members of the House Republican Caucus sent a letter earlier this week to House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, requesting hearings on the leadership shakeup at DHS.
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