Investigators to audit Medicaid unit

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The Erie County Comptroller is raising a red flag about health care benefits that may be going to people who don’t qualify.

Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw is sending an audit team Thursday to meet with the Erie County Social Service’s director. The meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m.

The state is set for a showdown over claims workers in Erie County’s Medicaid unit are cutting corners.  Mychajliw believes he has the smoking gun. He says he was tipped off to the trouble by two whistleblowers.

Mychajliw says he has emails and testimony saying, that as Medicaid recipients come up for re certification of taxpayer funded medical benefits, caseworkers have been instructed to qualify them automatically.

Mychajliw plans to send an investigator to audit the Medicaid unit. Deputy County Executive Richard Tobe says he has concerns that some of the information may be confidential.