Minnesota House Republicans ask for federal audit of state's Department of Human Services
House Republicans in Minnesota are asking for a federal audit of the state's Department of Human Services.
The push is spearheaded by state Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove, who serves as chair of the Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee.
She and others submitted a formal request to the acting inspector general at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a federal audit of the state DHS on Wednesday.
They say there has been extensive abuse of public funds for years within several Medicaid programs, costing taxpayers over $1 billion.
That includes high-profile cases, like the Feeding Our Future scheme, which federal prosecutors called the biggest pandemic-era fraud in the country, and a new investigation into Medicaid fraud at Minnesota autism centers.
On Thursday, Republican Reps. Brad Finstad, Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber penned a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., requesting a similar investigation.
WCCO learned last week that federal agents are also investigating what they call a "massive scheme to defraud" Minnesota's Housing Stabilization Services program.
"This culture of corruption must end. It's time for real accountability, and that starts with a full, independent federal audit," Robbins said. "The people of Minnesota deserve to know where their money is going and why so little has been done to stop this theft."
Also on Wednesday, Rep. Tom Emmer says he and the Minnesota Republican congressional delegation wrote a letter to Gov. Tim Walz demanding answers for the alleged fraud within the DHS, specifically the Housing Stabilization Services program.
When the program started in 2020, it was estimated that it would cost taxpayers about $2.5 million a year. But by 2021, it cost $21 million. Last year, it ballooned to $104 million.
"We ask that you provide us with the relevant information about how this fraud transpired under your administration's watch, steps you are taking to rectify the situation, and your plans to prevent future fraud within the HSS program," the letter says in part.
Some lawmakers say a new office to handle issues like fraud needs to be reconsidered after being cut during special session budget negotiations.
