Medicaid computer glitch affects thousands of Kentuckians

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ)- Several families in Kentucky are relieved this weekend to see state disability checks in the mail again after a computer glitch kept that money away from the people who need it.

According to her Mom, Alice Brown, Lindsay Richmond, 23, was diagnosed with autism at age 12.

“She couldn’t go to loud places, she couldn’t go to the movies. Going through a car wash, I practically tore my seatbelt off to get back to her,” Brown said.

Today, life for Lindsay is much better. Brown says her daughter is able to work with a caretaker thanks to the $800 lindsay gets twice a month from a state medicaid program called the Michelle P. Waiver. About a month ago, though, the money just did not show up and not only did it not show up. There was no warning, no notice from the state. The check that used to faithfully arrive every two weeks just disappeared.

Brown says she called multiple people, sometimes sitting on hold for hours, trying to figure out where her daughter’s disability money was. ABC 36 placed a call to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which then got Lindsay’s case sorted in a day.

Cabinet spokesman Doug Hogan says there have been sporadic issues with processing waiver program claims. He says the data coming in from a third party isn’t syncing properly with the old Kentucky Medicaid Management system. To fix the problem, Hogan says the Cabinet decided to suspend 11,000 people’s claims for two weeks to fix the software.

“In the hopes that a two week suspension now means this is not an issue in May or June or September,” Hogan said.

“Why was there no explanation given to people that this was going to be suspended?” ABC 36’s Veronica Jean Seltzer asked.

“I think, again, in the normal course of business this may have been going on for a lot of people without there even being a knowledge of it,” Hogan said.

Hogan says it’s hard to tell how many of the 11,000 affected actually didn’t get checks. He says some of the people in that group may have just submitted claims and wouldn’t have missed any money, but for those who did miss checks that money is essential.

Why isn’t there a back up so they can still get checks?

“Every case is so unique. It’s very hard to look at one case and make a judgement call to fix 500 cases,” Hogan said.

Hogan says now that the software’s been fixed all of those 11,000 people should have their claims processed. Alice Brown just hopes everyone gets the money they need, and soon.

“Wouldn’t you be affected if you didn’t get paid for a month?” Brown asked.

The Cabinet for Health and Family services says it urges clients to contact them with any trouble.

The cabinet says you can email Deck.Decker@ky.Gov.