Special House Committee Investigates OSDH Spending

A special House Investigative committee is trying to get to the bottom of millions of dollars in misspending by the Department of Health over at least six years.

That misspending led to almost 200 people losing their jobs.  

The committee was hoping to get answers.  But all the committee really learned is there is little oversight over agency spending.

Despite a $215 million dollar budget shortfall, the legislature agreed to give $30 million additional dollars to the Department of Health after the department mismanaged the funds.  

It's still unclear exactly how much has been mismanaged, but sources say the real number is closer to $100 million dollars.  

Last week, the agency announced 198 health department workers would be out of jobs by March 1st.  Interim Health Department director Preston Doerflinger, who was the director of finance at the time of the misspending, told representative Bobby Cleveland he only learned of it in late October.

Lawmakers had planned to subpoena e-mails regarding the misspending, but decided not to because they say they thought Doerflinger would provide them willingly.  He didn't.