California suspends some disability claims, citing fraud

By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California says scammers are stealing doctors’ credentials to file fake disability claims. The Employment Development Department said Thursday they has suspended 345,000 disability claims associated with 27,000 doctors. The department said most of those claims are likely fraudulent. But some of them are legitimate claims from people who can’t work because of an injury. Now, their disability checks have stopped. State officials said Thursday their top priority is to verify doctors’ identities to halt the fake claims and resume the legitimate ones. Assemblymember Jim Patterson said some of his constituents have not been paid for weeks.