This week on At Issue, Tom Hauser discusses Gov. Tim Walz’s proposal to overhaul fraud in the state, Republicans’ plans to boost affordability, and recent reporting from 5 INVESTIGATES, which reveals a link between fraud in state grant money and a Minnesota school district.
Gov. Tim Walz’s proposal to overhaul Minnesota’s largest agency targets fraud and aims to improve efficiency by changing Medicaid management.
Republicans oppose the plan, citing past failures from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), but Walz said some ideas came from lawmakers. The proposal will be vetted in both legislative chambers.
RELATED: Walz shares plan to ‘transform’ largest Minnesota state agency, combat fraud
Also, House Republicans have proposed bills for affordability, including tax cuts and single-subject measures.
They aim to lower license tab fees and eliminate a delivery tax; a tax…
PROCUREMENT & EXPENDITURE (STOPPING KICKBACKS)
Procurement fraud usually involves inflated invoices or “fictitious” vendors.
- The Three-Way Match: Never pay an invoice unless you have matched the Purchase Order (PO), the Delivery Note (signed), and the Supplier Invoice.
- Vendor Master File Review: Review your vendor list annually. Look for suppliers with the same bank details or physical addresses as your employees.
- Dual Authorization: Implement a “Two-to-Sign” rule for all EFT payments above a certain threshold (e.g., R5,000).
- No “Cashing” of Checks: If you still use physical checks, strictly prohibit “Cash” as a payee and store blank checks in a dual-lock safe.