Reports show $15,484 of public money lost in Sask., first quarter

Provincial reports were tabled Tuesday to show the amount of public money lost in the first quarter of this fiscal year. 

The reports were submitted by the Saskatchewan government ministries and crown corporations.

In total, $15,484 of public money was reported lost from April 1 to June 30, 2016. 

The majority of the money was lost when a person received $12,550 from the Ministry of Social Services across four years. The individual allegedly did not have a right to that money.

The person was a client of the Saskatchewan Employment Supplement and Child Care Subsidy program, and was also an employee with the Ministry.

The client and employee allegedly reported false information which allowed them to receive higher benefits, which were given out from May 2012 to March 2016.

According to the report, the individual has since resigned from the ministry and the incident has been reported to the police.

The Ministry of Social Services is trying to recover the money.

Identity fraud at hospital 

Additionally, the Ministry of Health reported a case of identity fraud at the Tisdale Hospital on February 28, 2016.

The fraud resulted in a loss of $2,934 and the money cannot be collected.

The report said this is because money for out-of-province services is not collectable. The invoice for the inpatient services was cancelled.

The Tisdale hospital is in the Kelsey Trail Health Region. A spokesperson for the health region said it was the Edmonton police who notified them of the identity fraud and aside from the monetary amount the region has little information. 

This was the only incident reported by provincial health organizations, which include regional health authorities, the Athabasca Health Authority and the Saskatchewan Cancer agency.

There was no public money reported lost by the crown corporations. This information was released for the first quarter report on the 2016-2017 fiscal year.