Bucks County's H.R. Department Slammed by Health Care Probers
By Brad Segall
DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- A grand jury investigation looking into allegations of health care fraud in the Bucks County government found no evidence of any criminal activity there, but it came down hard on one county department.
County officials were hoping that an audit of the health care rolls would save money by finding "dependents" who didn't belong there. But what they got was unwanted publicity and allegations that county employees were defrauding the government.
The grand jury says that's not the case, but noted that the county's human resources department was inefficient and failed to remove people who weren't entitled to benefits.
County controller Ray McHugh says the HR workers were unwilling to accept responsibility for their failures.
"HR (human resources) repeatedly blamed county employees for failing to follow protocols that were never established or defined," McHugh (below) said today. "They cited computer errors and glitches that were never confirmed or fixed."
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The report says the county wasted nearly $400,000 on added premiums for nearly 200 people who weren't entitled to benefits.
County commissioner Rob Loughery said he needed to digest the report but promised swift action and changes that he says will make the department more accountable and more efficient.