• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Submit News
  • Contact Us

Capital Soup

Florida News Straight From the Source

  • Soup Du Jour
  • People
  • Government
  • Campaign
  • Business
  • Education
  • Insights
  • Video
You are here: Home / Soup Du Jour / DCF’s Fraud Prevention Initiatives Result in Extraordinary Recoveries

DCF’s Fraud Prevention Initiatives Result in Extraordinary Recoveries

Posted on April 20, 2017


TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Department of Children and Families’ Office of Public Benefits Integrity (OPBI) recovered more than $15 million dollars in public benefit overpayments in just the first three months of 2017, a record quarter for benefit recovery. Created six years ago, OPBI has been essential to ensuring benefits go to qualified Floridians in need, recovering more than $134 million dollars since the programs’ inception.
“We are committed to making sure that public benefits get to the individuals and families who need them quickly and accurately,” DCF Secretary Mike Carroll said. “So many families count on our services and the public can be assured that the integrity of the public benefits system is sound through the processes and diligence of those in the department, especially within the Office of Public Benefits Integrity.”
Within OPBI, the Benefit Recovery Program focuses on maintaining the integrity of public assistance programs through accurate identification of overpaid benefits; acting as stewards for state and federal taxpayer dollars. Overpayments can be due to administrative error, client error, or fraud. Collection options to recover the public assistance funds include cash payments, online payments, intercepting Lottery winnings, the Treasury Offset Program and future benefit garnishment.
DCF continues to lead the country in recovering overpayments and as a result, Florida is eligible to retain a portion of the funds recovered in the Federal Grants Trust Fund. Over the last three years, OPBI has retained more in recoveries than the state spends to fund the program, netting a positive return on investment.
DCF’s Office of Public Benefits Integrity is responsible for investigating public assistance fraud or misuse regarding the SNAP (Food Assistance), TANF (cash assistance), and Medicaid programs by individuals or merchants. OPBI is dedicated to preventing, detecting, and recovering waste, fraud, and abuse within the public assistance programs.
Floridians are encouraged to report suspected fraud. Public assistance fraud is not a victim-less crime. Real people, real families are hurt when public benefits are provided to unqualified individuals who use fraudulent information or references. For more information about DCF’s public assistance fraud prevention initiatives,or to report suspected fraud, visit www.MyFLFamilies.com/ReportFraud.

Share this article! Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Filed Under: Soup Du Jour Tagged With: DCF Secretary Mike Carroll, Florida Department of Children and Families, Office of Public Benefits Integrity

Primary Sidebar

    Submit News    

Mast’s Northern Estuaries Restoration Plan, $100M for Estuary Protection Pass Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

“A Massive Win”: Water Resources Development Act Includes Mast Legislation To Improve Water Quality, Combat … [Read More...] about Mast’s Northern Estuaries Restoration Plan, $100M for Estuary Protection Pass Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

Trade Association Sues Florida Insurance Commissioner for Allowing Property Insurance Companies to Circumvent State Law

Lawsuit asserts that state regulators approved policy changes denying statutory rights enacted by the … [Read More...] about Trade Association Sues Florida Insurance Commissioner for Allowing Property Insurance Companies to Circumvent State Law

PACE Broward, AshBritt, Broward College Launch Emergency Management Program for Young Women

Pace Center for Girls, Broward has partnered with emergency management and logistics firm AshBritt and Broward … [Read More...] about PACE Broward, AshBritt, Broward College Launch Emergency Management Program for Young Women

Keep in Touch

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Newsletter signup

Stay in the loop! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive a brief recap of the week's most popular stories.

Footer

News

  • Soup Du Jour
  • People
  • Government
  • Campaign
  • Business
  • Education
  • Insights
  • Video

About Us 

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Submit News
  • Contact Us

Keep in Touch

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021
Terms & Conditions

© Copyright 2022 Capital Soup · All Rights Reserved ·