Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Eighty cases were either cut or compensation was reduced in the Swiss federal disability allowance scheme (Assurance invalidité, AI) during the six months after a new surveillance and fraud review programme went into effect in August 2008. The findings resulted in annual savings of CHF1.5 million, which would normally cost CHF24 million in compensation payments over the lifetime of the individuals. The 80 were part of a first batch of 380 suspect cases that were reviewed, but Bern says 1,400 cases have been identified as suspect and the others will come under review.

In one-fifth of cases, the cuts came after surveillance. Twenty cases resulted in the government demanding it be reimbursed and 10 cases have led to criminal charges being pressed.

The disability insurance office normally reviews 110,000 cases a year, a little more than half of them new applications and the rest reviews of existing cases.

The new review and surveillance system came into effect after a popular referendum in June 2007 where voters opted to tighten AI spending.

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