Report: Overtime shorting W.Va. health program - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

Report: Overtime shorting W.Va. health program

CHARLESTON (AP) -

West Virginia's public employee health insurance program is potentially losing millions of dollars each year because of the way dozens of agencies pay their staff.

A Monday report to lawmakers shows that more than 3,300 state employee were each paid at least $5,000 in overtime during the past budget year.

Such a pay difference should mean that these employees pay more in health coverage premiums. But the audit says the overtime isn't being counted.

Auditors also found that salaried employees routinely receive overtime. They suspect that at least some agencies have used overtime to conceal the true salaries of employees.

Marshall University head football coach Doc Holliday topped the list with pay classified as overtime at $425,000. Three medical professionals at Huntington's Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital each received at least $123,000.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.