California says most halted disability claims are fraudulent

By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California officials said most of the 345,000 disability checks they suspended are fraudulent. The Employment Development Department halted payments on disability claims associated with about 27,000 suspicious doctors. Thursday, state officials said 98% of those doctors were likely fraudulent because they had not verified their identities. The department could not say how much money it had paid in fraudulent claims. Republican Assemblymember Jim Patterson said several of his constituents have legitimate claims that were halted. The department said it sent notices to those claimants this week to verify their identities and resume their claims as quickly as possible.