Suffolk County Comptroller Candidate Outlines Plans To Establish New Division In Comptroller's Office

Suffolk County Comptroller candidate Jim Gaughran has outlined plans to establish a Waste and Fraud Division in the Comptroller’s office. The Waste and Fraud Division will undertake several new initiatives to improve accountability, root out waste, fraud and abuse and save taxpayer dollars.

“Suffolk County residents already pay too much in taxes, it is unacceptable for any of those funds to be lost to waste, fraud and abuse,” Gaughran said. “This division will make it clear that Suffolk County must have a zero tolerance policy for any abuse of taxpayer dollars.”

Among its initiatives, this new unit will: establish an anonymous hotline that all Suffolk County residents, including county employees, can call to report incidents of waste and fraud; create a Medicaid Fraud Unit that will bring tax dollars back to the county by working with the Federal government, New York State and the Suffolk County DA to investigate and penalize offenders; and increase transparency and reduce fraud in contract agencies.

Gaughran stated that the hotline will be staffed by trained professionals. Every single call will be logged and trigger a review to determine if the claim has merit and if so, will lead to an audit and investigation. Not only will this system save taxpayer dollars by rooting out bad actors, it will improve compliance among all vendors by promoting a system of increased accountability.

“Waste, fraud and abuse often go unchecked because people who know are either afraid for their careers or afraid they will be ignored,” Gaughran said. “This hotline will protect whistleblowers and it will protect taxpayers, because we will take every call seriously.”

Two of Suffolk County’s largest expenses are Medicaid, which has a County share of $253.8 million and contract agencies, which cost $89.8 million. The Medicaid Fraud Unit will work alongside partners at all levels of government to investigate, penalize and, prosecute individuals and companies responsible for improper or fraudulent Medicaid billing schemes. The unit will identify and investigate frauds committed by unscrupulous medical providers.

“The overwhelming majority of medical professionals are dedicated and honest and only want to provide the best care for their patients. But as I have traveled around the county I have spoken with doctors, nurses, pharmacists, hospital and nursing home officials who have identified ways that we can not only improve our healthcare system, but root out the fraud and waste, so the residents of Suffolk are receiving the best care possible,” Gaughran said.

The unit will target large-scale fraud involving overbilling, kickbacks, substandard drugs and medical equipment, and “Medicaid mills” run by organized criminals. It also will aid elderly and disabled Suffolk residents from abuse and neglect in nursing homes and other health care facilities. The program will hire auditors and investigators and be funded by money that it recovers, as well as federal and state programs that match funds, which means the unit can get up and running at no expense to Suffolk County taxpayers.

“I have discussed this concept with State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and he welcomes this type of partnership with Suffolk County”, Gaughran said

“I applaud Jim Gaughran for providing innovative solutions that will protect the tax dollars of Suffolk families,” said DiNapoli. “I look forward to partnering with him to root out waste, fraud and abuse on behalf of taxpayers.”

Gaughran will also meet with not-for-profit leaders throughout Suffolk to discuss the challenges they are facing, examine the fiscal impact they have within the county and make recommendations for reforming and modernizing contracts. He will also help organize trainings to help contract agencies strengthen their fiscal management practices.