Audit Faults Minnesota Public Health Care Programs

 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota's legislative auditor says the state Department of Human Services has failed to adequately verify the eligibility of people who enroll in public health care programs through the state's health insurance exchange MNsure.

In a report released Wednesday, the Office of the Legislative Auditor says it found many instances where department paid for Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare benefits for people who weren't eligible because their incomes were too high or didn't qualify for other reasons. It says the department also charged incorrect MinnesotaCare premium rates.

The public programs for lower-income people account for over 315,000 of the nearly 371,000 signups via MNsure since last October.

In a formal response, Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson says the scope of the problems is disappointing and her department is working to fix them.