Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

State Rep. Jason Woolford this week testified before the Michigan House Oversight Committee, calling attention to what his office calls widespread waste, fraud, and abuse within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

"The people of Michigan deserve to know their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent responsibly, especially when it comes to programs designed to support struggling families," the Howell Republican said. "Right now, MDHHS is falling short of that responsibility."

Woolford highlighted serious vulnerabilities in how public assistance is administered, particularly within the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Michigan currently has an overpayment error rate of nearly 10%, compared to a national average of 6%.

"This is a red flag," said Woolford. "An error rate this high not only threatens public confidence but could expose our state to massive federal penalties. That’s hundreds of millions of dollars that could be invested in schools, roads, or supporting families who truly need help. With my work in the Oversight Committee, we could save the state $100s of millions of dollars."

In his testimony, Woolford also criticized MDHHS for allowing benefit applicants to self-attest their eligibility with minimal verification. Under current practices, individuals may receive benefits simply by providing a name, address, and, if applicable, an Alien Number, with no requirement to submit a Social Security number, even when claiming U.S. citizenship.

"Verification is virtually nonexistent," said Woolford. “Phone interviews have replaced in-person checks, and home visits are rarely conducted. MDHHS blames federal guidelines, but the states have the authority to enforce stricter documentation requirements. Michigan just isn’t doing it."

"We must protect vulnerable families from a system that’s being drained by fraud," said Woolford. "When criminals game the system, honest families are the ones who pay the price."

Woolford called for immediate reforms, including the end of what he called self-attestation policies, requiring verification of Social Security numbers, identity and residency, and holding MDHHS leadership accountable for high error rates and mismanagement.

"From the White House to the state house, Americans are fed up with unaccountable government," said Woolford. "Taxpayers deserve transparency, and families in need deserve a system that works. This committee has a duty to ensure public assistance reaches its rightful recipients and not those who abuse it. Michigan can and must do better."

Lansing Democratic state Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou argued Woolford was wrong in his assessment of what is going on at MDHHS.

"What I heard from MDHHS during the testimony was that they were verifying all these things that you things are reporting are not verified, including citizenship," she said.

"While there are certainly improvements that can be done to a website, the websites were not the only way people were registered, and there was follow up and communication before people were approved for these benefits."

Video of the House Oversight Committee meeting is linked below.