LEGISLATURE: Medicaid fraud specialist position set

Local News

September 2, 2008

Much expected from $75K a year position

By Mark Scheer<br><a href="mailto:scheerm@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Mark</a> The Niagara Gazette Tue Sep 02, 2008, 11:27 PM EDT

Niagara County lawmakers are expecting big returns from a new Medicaid fraud investigator’s position.

Members of the Niagara County Legislature on Tuesday established an annual salary of $74,998 for the new job of Medicaid fraud specialist which they hope will generate far greater returns in the amount of money the county recovers from Medicaid scams each year.

“I’m confident we will see some real results,” said Legislator Paul Wojtaszek, R-North Tonawanda. “It’s two-fold — we get money back which is a revenue generator and we deter other people from stealing from the taxpayers.”

State funds will cover the salary and benefits for the new position as a result of the county’s involvement in a special Medicaid fraud demonstration project being coordinated by the state Office of Medicaid Inspector General.

County lawmakers believe the new in-house inspector will generate substantial revenues for the county in the coming years.

Wojtaszek, who sponsored the original resolution in support of creating the new position, said while the county has traditionally funded up to 25 percent of the total cost of local Medicaid services, it is rarely fully compensated in cases where Medicaid abusers are discovered and prosecuted. Wojtaszek said the new position should allow the county to recover a larger portion of its initial investment.

Wojtaszek indicated that the county also will be eligible for reimbursement of support services for the position, including clerical staff and possibly additional auditing services.

“This is the tip of the iceberg,” Wojtaszek said. “We are going to see some real progress. We are going to see some real results.”

County officials have determined, that based on the duties of the job, the position will be filled by an attorney. On Tuesday, the Legislature established an ad hoc committee of five lawmakers to conduct the search for someone to fill the position.

In other matters, the Legislature:

n Tabled a resolution that would have allowed the county to borrow $6.7 million for various capital projects, including a proposed $2 million storage building for Sheriff’s Department vehicles. The bond issue came under scrutiny from Minority Leader Dennis Virtuoso, D-Niagara Fall, who called into the question the county’s need to borrow money with interest to upgrade the county’s payroll system, purchase new public works vehicles and buy furniture and perform renovations at various county buildings. Budget Director Daniel Huntington said the entire proposal would require the county to pay off the debt at about $500,000 a year for 20 years starting in 2009. Huntington said the package assumes an interest rate of 4 percent.

Lawmakers agreed to hold off on a vote on the issue for two weeks to allow County Manager Gregory Lewis, who did not attend Tuesday’s meeting, to address the need for the items on the list of capital projects.

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Local News

SLIDESHOW: Memorial Day Weekend 2012 Niagara Falls celebrates Memorial Day Weekend activities on Saturday with a parade on Pine Avenue, a memorial service and viewing of the new Veterans Memorial at Hyde Park, a concert series on Old Falls Street and free boat safety inspections by the Niagara County Sheriff Department Marine Division at the City of Niagara Falls Boat Docks on Buffalo Avenue.
May 26, 2012 1 Photo
Legislation protecting Falls air base units moves forward
The effort to protect jobs at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station got a boost from a committee in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Korean student robbed at gunpoint in Falls
Detectives are investigating the robbery of a 25-year-old woman Wednesday night in front of a motel in the 400 block of Main Street.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Davis will not seek Murphy removal
Lawyers for accused killer Matthew “Bones” Davis say their client will not ask to have Niagara County Court Judge Matthew J. Murphy III removed from his case.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Labor group laments economic development efforts
Economic development in New York state has become a joke to some in the area. And many of them are demanding changes to a process which spends approximately $3 billion a year.

May 24, 2012
Repaving work on Old Military Road rises to $790K
Sometimes a change is good. Sometimes a change is bad. For the Town of Lewiston, a change can be pretty costly.

May 24, 2012
Fifth-grader presents list of 400 names asking for new playground
A 10-year-old boy carrying a petition containing more than 400 signatures asked members of the Niagara Falls School Board on Thursday to consider building a new playground at his school.

May 24, 2012
Bomb threat leads to arrest at NT school
A North Tonawanda teen was arrested Thursday morning for sending a one-sentence bomb threat to the computer of a fellow high school student, resulting in a brief lockdown of the school.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Sense of resignation on AES pact
May 24, 2012
Marching to the new veterans memorial
It's the unofficial beginning of summer.

Memorial Day may mean cookouts with hot dogs and hamburgers, a trip on the river in a boat or simply a day off from work Monday.

May 24, 2012 2 Photos
More Local News Headlines

Do you think cigarette sales to non-Native American customers should be taxed on reservations?