Senate panel hears of manipulation of food stamp error rates, seeks improvements

Bureaucrats in 42 states, often aided by outside consultants, have weakened the integrity of efforts to find errors in the way food stamp recipients are found eligible, and in whether those eligible are receiving the right level of benefits, a Senate panel heard. So far, two states — Virginia and Wisconsin — have paid a combined $14.1 million to settle allegations they violated the False Claims Act in administering their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs, and several others are under investigation, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General auditor, the panel heard.Over the past three years, the department’s inspector general audits have led to 1,648 indictments and 1,577 convictions. The Senate Agriculture Committee has been reviewing aspects of the program that reaches an average of 46 million and pays out $71 billion in benefits a year as it puts together next year’s Farm Bill.