bloggers' comments in red...
-----Original Message-----
From: Cox,Kathy [mailto:Kathy.Cox@hhsc.state.tx.us]
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 10:32 AM
To: Allen Bledsoe; Amy Cuellar; Ana Bonilla; Bob Arbuckle; Carolyn Maxie; Dolores Bravo; Grace Moser; Jerry Flores; Jerry Wallace; Jim Cleveland; Joe Alvarez; Kathy Cox; Mari Forcade; Mary Adame; Mary Doan; Oscar Gutierrez; Patricia Brown; Ramon Gamboa; Sandra Dillett; Shaun Barker; Stephanie Semien; Susan Lozano; Taylor O'BrienCc: Benito Narro; Brenda Rios; Debbie Knoll; Ellen Balthazar; Estella Gonzales; Gayle Armstrong; Janet Benson; Kemia Andrews; Lupe Rios; Mary Rodriguez; Shenaz Haney; Susan Leschber; Teri Creamer; Thelma Rey; Thomas Dickens
Subject: FW: Eligibility System Concern
RD's: I am sending this to you so you can understand some of the issues we are dealing with and as a reminder to absolutely ensure your staff do not instruct clients to call 2-1-1. There are a few instances where this is appropriate (as Taylor told you when he sent the other email), but your staff need to deal with problems in the local offices as much as possible. (So the clients fill out and mail NUMEROUS apps to the call centers, then have to turn around and complete one for the local office to handle? Whatever happened to the Federal requirement that ALL applications have to be handled, whether certified or denied? Oh yeah, I forgot, HHSC doesn't feel they need to comply with the Feds - which is why the State is going to lose so much money! Our tax dollars at work.....)
For the pilot offices, we have thoroughly discussed the interim procedures with the staff and our expectations are to handle clients/inquiries in the local office.
Kathy Cox Deputy Director of EligibilityServices State Operations 512/206-5656 Cell: 512/423-9451
-----Original Message-----
From: Wallace,Jerry
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 10:10 AM
To: Cox,Kathy; Forcade,Mari; 'Taylor'
Subject: FW: Eligibility System Concern
fyi
-----Original Message-----
From: LeBrun,Aurora
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 9:59 AM
To: Heiligenstein,Anne; Wallace,Jerry
Subject: RE: Eligibility System Concern
Anne and Jerry:
This is the result of our decision to go to an interim solution and not expand to the Hill Country. We did very little if any client notification for the pilot offices, but for the Hill Country rollout we used the Med ID as a means of notifying the clients of the expansion. Because of the lead time required to develop, print, and prepare stuffers for the Med ID card, this was done and could not be stopped when we changed directions. I agree this is a problem, but we need to handle it better. We provided notification to the workers of the stuffer and the impact/scope of the rollout, but we also provided information about the interim solution and its effect. We cannot undo the stuffer but we can handle client questions better - both at 2-1-1 and our offices.
The issue with the website is one we know and accepted to deal with - we cannot put up the website restricted to certain offices or counties so the result is that we get calls, applications, and other actions from all over the state through the website. We just need to handle them better.
Aurora
-----Original Message-----
From: Heiligenstein,Anne
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 9:12 AM
To: Wallace,Jerry; LeBrun,Aurora
Subject: Re: Eligibility System Concern
Thanks Jerry. Who generates the Medicaid letters....MCD?
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
-----Original Message-----
From: Wallace,Jerry
To: Heiligenstein,Anne; LeBrun,Aurora
Sent: Fri May 19 09:08:09 2006
Subject: RE: Eligibility System Concern
Anne and Aurora, there may be a few of our staff incorrectly telling clients to call 2-1-1. We will of course have the RDs remind staff. However, my staff tell me there are two other significant reasons clients are calling 2-1-1 which may account for a significant number of calls and there is nothing we or our field staff can do about it.
1) It is my understanding that Medicaid letters that go to ALL Medicaid clients apparently tell them they can call 2-1-1 for assistance. It apparently does not state anything about 2-1-1 only helping TIERS clients who currently or previously received benefits in Hays or Travis counties. We are attempting to get a copy of one of these letters.
2) The 2-1-1 web site tells the public to call 2-1-1 for assistance. It does not state that calls from our clients should be restricted to TIERS clients in Hays and Travis counties.
jw (Thank you, Jerry! Let's tell it like it is!)
-----Original Message-----
From: Heiligenstein,Anne
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 12:24 PM
To: LeBrun,Aurora
Cc: Wallace,Jerry
Subject: RE: Eligibility System Concern
Complaints are not just coming from pilot offices. Clients in numerous sites across the state are being told to call 211. We've got a bigger problem than the 4 pilot sits. CAH heard the same complaint in San Antonio's public meeting yesterday. Only member of HS Committee that is from pilot area is Rep. Nashtait; other members are dispersed across the state....Dallas and Houston areas in particular.
-----Original Message-----
From: LeBrun,Aurora
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2006 3:15 PM
To: Heiligenstein,Anne
Subject: RE: Eligibility System Concern
We do - I am having Jerry resent our previous instructions to the RD's, supervisors, and field staff. I will also ask Kathy and Taylor to closely monitor the pilot offices - including face-to-face meetings with the supervisors. (How the hell did she get where she is when she can't even spell? Jerry resent???? How about resend! d and t aren't even typed with the same finger!)
Aurora
_____
From: Heiligenstein,Anne
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2006 5:34 AM
To: LeBrun,Aurora
Subject: FW: Eligibility System Concern
We do have a local office problem.
-----Original Message-----
From: Annie Landmann_HC [mailto:Annie.Landmann_HC@house.state.tx.us]
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 3:36 PM
To: anne.heiligenstein@hhsc.state.tx.us; Muth,Stephanie
Cc: Katherine Yoder
Subject: Eligibility System Concern
Commissioner Heiligenstein,
I would like to begin by expressing my appreciation for the eligibility oversight synopsis that I received by e-mail this afternoon. It is very encouraging, as always, to know that HHSC is reviewing better performance and system improvements and keeping us continually informed.
(If HHSC had listened to the employees to begin with, they wouldn't be having these problems now....)
With that said, I have been getting some discouraging feedback regarding the local offices. (How much discouraging feedback have they received regarding the call centers?) Many constituents have called my office in frustration, criticizing the application process for Medicaid and food stamps, whether it be their first time applying or when filing for an extension. The criticism is one and the same; the client walks into the local office to apply, or file an extension, or make an appointment, etc. and they are turned away, given a pamphlet, and told to call 2-1-1 . Not only is this becoming a redundant complaint in the committee office, but this was briefly discussed as a rising problem among my committee members' staff at a recent meeting as well. The call centers were made to serve clients as a convenient and uncomplicated option in the application process. We were told, however, that if the client chooses to continue to go to the local office and speak with state staff, they can, and should never be turned away. (So much for "convenient and uncomplicated".....and how many offices have enough workers to do the work now? Definitely not mine!)
It seems that staff in the local offices are under a false impression that they aren't in the business of assisting clients anymore. There is a common misconception among staff and we are hearing it through your frustrated clients. Whatever the resolution may be, it needs to be made quickly. Because of your efforts to fix the glitches in the new eligibility system, I know you are as truly concerned as we are when we hear that "clients" are being turned away when they should be helped. (We were told to refer clients to 211 - per HHSC instructions!)
Thank you for your attention in this matter and please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Sincerely,
Annie Landmann
Chief Clerk
House Committee on Human Services
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