Apr 3, 2017 2 min read

State Rep. Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane Township, last week reintroduced his Taxpayer Protection Against Fraud Act legislation that would combat fraud and provide crucial revenues for the commonwealth.

“In these continuing tough economic times, we can’t afford to ignore any additional source of new income. House Bill 1027 would raise significant revenues through recovered losses and other damages and it will also deter fraud and punish those stealing from Pennsylvania and its taxpayers,” Neuman said.

The legislation would create a unique private-public partnership that gives a citizen the right to act as a sort of “private attorney general” and file suit on behalf of the U.S. government against those who have acted to defraud it. As an incentive for citizens to bring such claims, the bill would also give them the right to share in the government’s recovery. The bill would also increase the commonwealth’s share of recovery under a successful Medicaid fraud lawsuit by 10 percent.

Neuman explained Pennsylvania’s structural budget shortfall exceeds $2 billion and that the state is losing an estimated $200 million a year through Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse.

“This legislation was previously passed unanimously three times in the House and I am looking forward to continued bipartisan support and hopefully getting the bill to the governor for his signature,” Neuman said.

In the United States, 29 states and the District of Columbia have false claims measures that protect and reward whistleblowers looking out for taxpayer dollars.