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Medicaid Applications Piling Up As State Works To Debug New Computer System

Andy Marso
/
KHI News

A new computer system is causing long delays in processing Medicaid applications in Kansas.

The Kansas Eligibility Enforcement System finally went live this summer after almost two years of delays and nearly $50 million in projected cost overruns.

It was supposed to streamline enrollment in Medicaid and other social service programs. But a recent audit found that the software needed many more modifications than expected.

Groups that serve Kansans with disabilities say applications that took days under the old system are now taking months.

Glen Yancey is in charge of implementing the new system for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. He says it takes time to smooth out the bumps in any software switch, but the new Medicaid application system will eventually work as advertised.

“You’re certainly going to take an initial dip in productivity," Yancey says. "Once you come out on the other end, you’re actually more efficient.”

In the meantime, agency staff is scrambling to overcome a backlog of more than 6,000 Medicaid applications.

Read more on this story from KHI News.