An audit has found that flaws in New York’s health exchange resulted in 21 dead people being enrolled in Medicaid and 333 other dead people being provided with government-funded health coverage.
The state comptroller’s office says its auditors found overpayments that cost taxpayers $3.4 million for the year starting Oct. 1, 2013. That includes $325,000 for the deceased.
The health department established the exchange and runs it. Auditors say the department also issued multiple identification numbers to some recipients, resulting in Medicaid overpayments of $2.8 million.
The health department says it’s awaiting a new federal system to verify deaths. It confirms 321 people cited in the audit were dead but says four are still alive. It’s checking on the other 29.
The department notes state enforcement efforts in 2011-12 recovered $1.73 billion.
The Associated Press contributed to this story