Undercounted Medicaid application backlog irks Kansas lawmakers

? Kansas lawmakers are voicing frustration after the state disclosed that its backlog in unprocessed Medicaid applications is four times as large as previously thought.

The disclosure late last week that Kansas had under-counted the number of unprocessed applications by 12,000 is drawing fresh attention to the state’s electronic eligibility system nearly a year into its troubled rollout, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported. Figures showed that the backlog was declining before the state reported that its numbers were off in a letter earlier this month to the federal government.

The state is blaming the undercounting on a reporting problem from Accenture, a contractor tasked with implementing the eligibility system, not the eligibility system itself. Accenture said in a statement that it didn’t provide inaccurate information, but gave the state information as requested.

Rep. Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said the state needs to “figure this out” and described the problems as “getting pretty bad.”

Sen. Laura Kelly, D-Topeka, said the state bears primary responsibility.

“When you outsource something, when you contract something, it’s your responsibility to make sure the job is getting done,” Kelly said.

Because of the undercounting issues, the state will withhold a $750,000 payment from Accenture, said Angela de Rocha, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services. The total value of the company’s contract, which runs through 2021, is $264 million.

Hawkins said he had approached legislative leadership a few weeks ago about the possibility of holding hearings during the special session, which begins Thursday, and was told no. He said he also wants to know more about the Medicaid cuts announced by Brownback in May. Brownback cut Medicaid provider reimbursement rates by 4 percent as part of budget-balancing measures.

Spokeswomen for both House Speaker Ray Merrick and Senate President Susan Wagle said Monday that they want the session focused narrowly on school finance.

An oversight committee is set to meet in early August, and Hawkins said he wants much of the meeting focused on both the Medicaid cut and the ongoing backlog.

The state hopes the backlog will have shrunk significantly by then.

“Despite this setback, the state believes its eligibility determination backlog issues will have been dealt with by the end of summer,” de Rocha said.