Westmoreland Review

Legislation has been introduced by Representative Eric Nelson (R-Westmoreland) to verify the eligibility of health benefits received by dependents of state employees. The proposal calls for an initial dependent eligibility audit of group health insurance plans for state employees in Pennsylvania.

Earlier this year, the federal government identified that health insurance enrollment scams could be costing Washington up to $3 billion annually. In a memo seeking support from fellow lawmakers, Nelson highlighted this issue with an example: "One news article told the story of a repair worker in Alabama who kept an ex-wife covered with health benefits for 14 years, and only got caught when he tried to add his new wife."

Nelson emphasized the responsibility of lawmakers as custodians of taxpayer money to investigate potential fraud within state government. A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office indicated that until 2021, federal offices were not required to verify family member eligibility, which made programs susceptible to fraud and improper payments.

The proposed bill would require audits of group health insurance plans for two state departments, with results presented to the General Assembly. "We have to start by seeing if Pennsylvania is experiencing the same issues as Washington, D.C., and then be ready to take action," Nelson stated. He added that taxpayers should trust their contributions are being managed efficiently.

Representative Eric Nelson serves Pennsylvania's 57th Legislative District and can be contacted through media representative Jordan Frei at 724-875-8450.