Ohio bills aim to curb food stamp, Medicaid fraud

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A pair of Ohio bills introduced Wednesday would require additional eligibility checks for people receiving food stamp benefits or health insurance through Medicaid.

Currently, enrollees in Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP or food stamps, must notify program officials when their income changes.

Senate Bill 96 and House Bill 119 would require state officials to perform to quarterly eligibility checks against several state and federal databases and expand the data used in those checks. Applicants would also be asked personal and financial history questions to verify their identity.

The goal is to identify people who become ineligible through a pay raise or other life change and don't immediately report it, said Sen. Bill Coley, a Southwest Ohio Republican sponsoring the Senate bill.

Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/03/ohio_bill_aims_to_curb_food_st.html