From HHSC Employees' blog, it appears that a "war" has started between HHSC front line workers and Accenture staff.

We at HHSC do not have a problem with the employees hired at the call centers!

We do have a problem with the call centers!

We do have a problem with TIERS (which is just another version of TIES...remember, folks?)

We do have a problem with "upper admin" at both HHSC and Accenture!

We do have a problem with all the lies and rhetoric that HHSC has been and is still releasing to both staff and the media!

We do have a problem with how Accenture got the contract!

We do have a problem with HHSC and the State of Texas for allowing ANYONE to make a profit from our children, our poor, our elderly and our disabled!

Employees hired at the call centers are just looking for a job, hopefully one that doesn't still make them eligible for the same benefits they are trying to issue. I just hope that the interviewers are being up front with job applicants, but somehow, I don't believe they are. If they were, the call centers would not have the turnover problems that they are having. On the other hand, getting a new job and having a computer system that doesn't work would tend to drive me nuts....but again, if the interviewers were up front.....

State workers want the same. After dedicating their lives to this agency, the least HHSC can do is show some loyalty to their staff (Yeah, I've read the emails about how much we're appreciated and so forth, but that's just the same rhetoric. Don't tell me what a good job I'm doing and then give me a pink slip the next week!).

We have managed to do our jobs well with the so-called "outdated" SAVERR system. The system may have been designed in the 70s but it's still working. And whatever happened to IT saying they could have converted SAVERR to a WINDOWS based environment for less than 100K?

Ssshhhh.....Don't tell anyone because I have a friend at this great company called Accenture who really needs to make more money and the best way is to get another State contract!

Like they don't have enough already? Like they've done a really good job in the other states? What about the other countries? What about the US Marines?

We all know that this is NOT going to work. The only difference is the head honchos will not admit it. They have too much invested now and don't want to admit they were wrong. If they did, they might have to admit that their intentions were NOT to serve the good people of Texas, but to line their own pockets and those of their friends.

And who cares about fraud? Who cares that most of the fraudulent cases are caught by the worker in the face-to-face interview? On site, in the same town. There really is alot to be said about a one on one relationship with your worker. How would you like to go to school and have a different teacher every day? Or go to a different doctor each time? (Why are PCPs required?)
How about not having your own personal insurance agent that you can go to and discuss your issues? I could go on but you get the point.

Call centers are effective in certain industries, but NOT in social services.

Accenture has spent so much money lobbying our legislators, have been doing so for years. Maybe it's time we all stood up and said NO to big business! Oh, wait - we can't. Bush is still in the Whitehouse. And those of us who have been around a long time know that Bush tried this when he was Governor.....