Maybe there’s some cause for optimism. Personally, I think Governor Hickenlooper understands that CBMS must be fixed and will see that it finally gets done. Cross your fingers (and stay tuned).
From two of Michael Booth’s recent articles in the Denver Post:
February 26, 2011:
“State officials agreed Friday to sharply boost performance of the much-maligned Colorado Benefits Management System by 2013, heading off for now a contempt of court request by legal advocates for the poor.
Gov. John Hickenlooper's office announced late in the day that state Medicaid officials had signed a written agreement with the legal advocates, promising to improve the recent abysmal performance of the benefits system. Requests for contempt of court last fall showed the system delaying benefits applications and requalifications more than 70 percent of the time in some categories”.
Read more at: Colorado sidelines contempt request over problems with state's computer benefits system - The Denver Post
February 24, 2011:
Fixing the broken benefits system in Colorado is a "very high priority" for Gov. John Hickenlooper, his chief of staff said Wednesday, even as federal officials said potential fines remain on the table and Denver acknowledged an enormous backlog in aid casework.
"We've got to get a system that works for the counties and for the states and, more importantly, works for clients," said Hickenlooper chief of staff Roxane White, who was previously Hickenlooper's director of human services in Denver.
Read more: Gov. Hickenlooper puts priority on ending backlog in computer benefits system - The Denver Post
And from the Editorial Page on February 18:
Editorial: Why is CBMS still such a mess?
Gov. Hickenlooper needs to make fixing the state's benefits computer a priority as it's hurting our most vulnerable people.
Read more: Editorial: Why is CBMS still such a mess? - The Denver Post
Comments