Michigan Department of Human Services will work with federal partners

to investigate disability fraud - Efforts could save taxpayers millions of

dollars
Contact: Bob Wheaton 517-373-7394

Detroit, Mich. Aug. 15, 2014 The Michigan Department of Human Services and Social Security
Administration today launched a new program that will investigate disability fraud.

Federal officials joined Department of Human Services (DHS) leaders at DHS offices in Detroit in
announcing the Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit.

Michigans Disability Determination Service and DHS Office of Inspector General will pool their
resources and expertise as they work with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to investigate
possible fraud and prevent it before any benefits are paid by taxpayers.

SSA and its Office of Inspector General jointly established the Cooperative Disability Investigations
program in 1997. Since then, efforts have contributed to $2.8 billion in projected savings to Social
Securitys programs and $1.8 billion in projected savings to related federal and state programs. The
25 locations around the country saved $168 million over the last year.

I am excited about this state and federal partnership, said DHS Director Maura D. Corrigan.
Working together, we can be better stewards of taxpayer dollars and make sure that disability
assistance helps people who are truly in need. Cracking down on fraud has been one of my top
priorities. The Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit provides another tool for these important
efforts.

Al Kimichik, director of the DHS Office of Inspector General, said the departments other anti-fraud
efforts have been highly effective. Last year, for every dollar we spent on fraud prevention and
detection, Michigan taxpayers avoided costs of $21, he said. Anti-fraud programs like the
Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit provide a strong return on investment.
The Michigan disability investigations unit is the first of seven that SSA plans to establish by the end
of fiscal year 2016 as part of a renewed agency effort to root out disability fraud and preserve
benefits for those who truly deserve them. The Michigan unit will include an Office of Inspector
General special agent, an SSA program expert, a state disability examiner, an investigative analyst
and two investigators from the DHS Office of Inspector General.



For more than 16 years, (Cooperative Disability Investigations) has had tremendous success in
identifying and preventing disability fraud and abuse, said Social Security Inspector General Patrick
P. OCarroll Jr. Were very pleased to partner with the Michigan Department of Human Services to
expand our efforts to combat fraud and to ensure the integrity of Social Securitys disability programs
for the citizens of Michigan.

Disability fraud can involve faking injury or illness to avoid work, filing multiple applications,
concealing work and exaggerating or lying about disabilities.

These units play a critical role in preventing fraud and investigating complex conspiracies, and we
are excited to establish a new unit in Detroit, said Carolyn W. Colvin, acting commissioner of Social
Security. I thank the Michigan Department of Human Services for their involvement, and Social
Security will continue to expand the number of (Cooperative Disability Investigations) units
throughout the country to combat fraud and preserve public trust in our programs.