Insurance fraud swept under rug

We have come upon difficult times, and needless to say our current economic situation has underscored the country's political and economic tensions. I have a lot of problems with our government, the people running it and most of the people that are heatedly fighting about it. However, I do think we live in a country where a man or woman who has fallen upon hard times can get a helping hand from Uncle Sam every once in awhile. It's one of the great things about our country, that our government still has some benevolent qualities in it, seeking to actually take care of its citizens, not just sway their voting habits.

That's why I was shocked, even enraged, when I found out that in 2010 alone, the Unemployment Insurance program was conned out of $6.4 million by Missouri residents. These individuals continued to file for UI after they had found employment, receiving weekly checks until the Missouri Labor Department opened an investigation and recovered the fraudulently received money.

One man collected almost $12,000 before he was caught. The entire $6.4 million has been recovered from the individuals who now face felony charges and up to seven years in prison. However, how did this happen in the first place? I'm glad the Labor Department has done its job in catching these miscreants, but how is it that we don't do a better job tracking where unemployment benefits go from the start?

There are people who legitimately need that money to keep a roof over their head, feed their kids and get around so they can find a job. Meanwhile, those in charge spent a lot of valuable time and resources recovering the money they lost. It just shows how easily our myriad of bureaucrats can be rendered useless by a relatively simple problem.

The Internet has made it easier … easier to steal from people who need it most and from the people who pay for it, namely you. Filing for UI is as easy as could be. You can do it online in the same way that one would fill out a job application. Some people got extremely worked up about Rep. Zach Wyatt's desire to begin drug screening for families dependent on Missouri's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, but doesn't this prove there is a problem and people are misusing and even stealing state funds?

Drug screening might not be a necessity, but every person applying for UI or TANF should have to meet periodically with a case worker of sorts who oversees their search for employment, because it's much easier to lie to a computer screen than it is to a person's face.

It's pretty simple really. The people who review online applications could begin to actually meet the people they are trying to help, rather than just reading another name from inside a cubicle. These supervisors could help their clients by aiding them in the search for jobs and giving referrals as well as making sure they play by the rules. It would weed out the lowlifes looking for a cash cow and help people get back on their feet, rather than scraping by on financial life support.

The criminals responsible for fraud should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, the government should be more careful and efficient in doling out money, and you should take it seriously, if not personally, because you're paying for it.    

Connor Riley is a junior history major from St. Louis, Mo.