Wisconsin Shares Program Fraud Continues to Add Up

MacIver News Service | January 6, 2014

by Haley Sinklair

[Madison, Wisc…] Reported fraud within the Wisconsin Shares Program has continued to increase, though at a slower rate, over the past few years.

Since MacIver News Service’s latest report on the program in June 2013, fraud has increased from $11.3 million to $11.6 million. This total has been adding up since the implementation of tracking system that began in January 2009.

The Wisconsin Shares Program provides subsidies for child day care to low income families. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) updates the Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) on the state of the program frequently.

Among the information provided in DCF’s latest report, is documentation on four cases resulting in suspensions, all in Milwaukee County. At this time the DCF is reviewing the details of the suspensions with the Child Care Anti-Fraud Task Force.

The memo also includes over $120,000 in overpayment or restitution collected, mostly due to administrative findings that an overpayment had occurred. Also, the estimated savings for November 2012 reached over $126,000 for active authorizations that the automated system had reduced.

According to DCF, a total of 1,560 active authorizations have been changed in November, also due to the automated system’s findings.

The full report can be seen here.