Combating benefit fraud frees up resources for those in need

With the state’s 64th legislative session in full swing, there have been many proposals introduced recently by state lawmakers to improve our public benefit programs in Montana. But, where there is progress also comes misconceptions, and the attempts by the legislature to improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a perfect example of fallacies standing in the way of improvements.

So I would like to clear up the false claims surrounding one proposal, Senate Bill 206, as the arguments thrown around by the opposition are grounded more in knee-jerk partisan ignorance than actual facts.

SB 206 is not about taking SNAP benefits from those who really need them, but rather an attempt to combat fraud that drains benefit programs of much needed resources. The positive effect of SNAP will continue if SB 206 becomes law and could even allow us to improve SNAP benefits for those who the program was originally intended.

So like any proposal to reform a government program, we must first recognize the problems that we want to fix.

The notion that fraud does not exist in government benefit programs is a naïve assessment of public programs, and for any legislator to reject this fact is a gross negligence of the oversight duty that our constituents entrusted to us.

Gov. Steve Bullock himself acknowledges that fraud exists within public benefit programs, and the fact that he included methods of fraud prevention in his Medicaid expansion proposal, HB 249, is proof. If the Democratic governor of our state admits that fraud exists in a program like Medicaid, wouldn’t it be wise to check and see if fraud also exists in a benefit program like SNAP?

So why are some hesitant to ensure that our government programs aren’t being abused?

Gov. Bullock’s office is working with the Obama administration to “fudge” the numbers to in order to increase SNAP enrollment beyond those it was originally intended to cover. Here’s their trick.

The governor wants to extend SNAP benefits to those who are capable of working by applying for federal waivers in areas that don’t meet the criteria for receiving benefits. If you look at the waivers that the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services has applied for, you can see that they are tweaking the numbers, averaging counties that have very little unemployment and lumping them with those that have a higher unemployment rate in order to qualify more people for SNAP benefits.

This is an outrageous methodology that costs Montana taxpayers millions of dollars every year in illegitimate benefit claims, robbing those who actually need those resources to get by. SB 206 seeks to put an end to this questionable practice.

SB 206 is an attack on fraud, not “the poor” as so many see fit to claim. If passed, it will free up resources that could possibly be used to fund more benefits for those who are truly in need, and I think that’s what we all want, Democrats and Republicans alike.

So before accusing lawmakers of “attacking the poor,” it’s important to understand that many of us in the legislature are looking at ways to improve how we provide for those most in need.

If we really want to ensure a sustainable safety net to help the most vulnerable in our communities, let’s stop the partisan hyperbole, and look at the big picture.

Sen. Fred Thomas, R–Stevensville, currently serves as the chairman of the Senate Public Health Welfare and Safety Committee and is the sponsor of Senate Bill 206.