Fraudulent support claim cases top $1m

Eighty-one people have been prosecuted by the Ministry of Health in the past five years for making fraudulent carer support claims to the value of $1,055,000.

Another 15 investigations are in progress.

The figures were released to the Otago Daily Times under the Official Information Act.

Carer support is a ministry subsidy paid to people who step in to help full-time carers for the disabled to take time out. It can be paid to friends, neighbours and some family members.

Acting national risk manager Michael Moore said 36 cases had been dealt with by the courts and the rest were still proceeding.

The biggest amount, $86,459, involved a Canterbury case in which a 43-year-old engineer and a 42-year-old woman faced 156 charges. That case was proceeding.

In Otago, a 43-year-old beneficiary faced 69 charges for claims worth $46,775.

In December, Leeann Jayne Pink, of Karitane, was sentenced by Judge Stephen O'Driscoll in the Dunedin District Court to five months' community detention and 275 hours' community work after being convicted of 69 offences.

She was also ordered to pay reparation in full at not less than $20 a week.

The court heard Pink completed claim forms and forged signatures of three people she alleged were providing care to her family.

Community service and orders to pay reparation were the most common penalties imposed by the courts although four Taranaki defendants were imprisoned for six months.

The occupation of 41 of the offenders or alleged offenders was listed as beneficiary. Other occupations included farmers, security guards, factory workers, a registered nurse, a bank worker, a call centre worker and an air hostess.

Mr Moore said to stop offending, the ministry had a dedicated investigator of claims, as well as educational programmes to service providers and needs assessors and operating an 0800 number so people could report suspicious claims.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said the very small number of cases of dishonesty were taken seriously and prosecution was likely.

"We want money intended for health services to be spent on health services."

A Ministry of Health spokeswoman said the subsidy supported people in many stressful situations and the ministry could be confident it assisted disabled people to stay in their own homes and communities.

CARER SUBSIDY

* Introduced to provide financial assistance to allow full-time informal caregivers such as parents of disabled children and adults to pay relief carers for up to 28 days a year.

* Administration of scheme transferred to Ministry of Health and regional health authorities.

* Scheme now funds relief care for disabled people under 65, older people, and people with mental illness and addictions.

* $46.7 million distributed to 25,733 clients in the 2008-09 financial year; $247.8 million spent over the past five years.

Source: Ministry of Health

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES