Jun. 05, 2024

HARRISBURG—Today the House Republican Policy Committee, led by Chairman Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington), convened the final hearing in a series to discuss ways to safeguard Pennsylvania’s social benefit programs from fraud, waste and abuse, and to ensure the state’s resources are efficiently allocated and accessible to those who truly require assistance.

The hearing, “Excellence in Government: Preserving Benefit Integrity,” featured testifiers Nick Adolphsen and Roy Lenardson, state government affairs directors, Foundation for Government Accountability. The testifiers provided insight into the fraud taking place in Pennsylvania’s Medicaid, SNAP and unemployment insurance programs, and emphasized that program benefit integrity starts with holding government accountable.

According to the testifiers, Pennsylvania is experiencing welfare disparity and needs a culture change within the agencies overseeing the benefit programs. Currently, 43% of Pennsylvanians receiving Medicaid are able-bodied adults. Meanwhile, there are 14,000 Pennsylvanians truly in need on the Medicaid waiting list. This is “fraud by design,” per the testifiers from the Foundation for Government Accountability. One of the best ways to combat welfare fraud is to get the able-bodied people off the program and into self-sufficiency.

“Let’s make Pennsylvania the state where we celebrate the first paycheck, not the first welfare check. Let’s be the state where we use taxpayer resources efficiently, and where we hold government agencies accountable,” said Kail. “The government should work for the people in an efficient and effective manner, acting as a catalyst for success rather than a hurdle. That’s excellence in government, which I am committed to achieving.”

To watch the complete hearing and the previous hearings from May 29 and May 30, visit pagoppolicy.com/video/policy.

Representative Josh Kail
15th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Media Contact: Nancy Nilson
nnilson@pahousegop.com
repkail.com

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