On the downside of another week

Today was, in a word, exhausting. I mean, most are anyway- but today was especially busy and constant. Many TAA problems today- many clients coming to local office angry that their applications were sent to the call centers by us and it's been 4 weeks and they have heard nothing- I wish I could tell them that 4 weeks is NOTHING compared to what they end up waiting.

Saw that there were many comments....and I'll address as I can....

"I have a memo from Denise Moore saying that HHSC staff will have to work applications "from TAA." I'm assuming that state employees will be doing the work that TAA couldn't do. Does anyone know how many cases have been sent back to HHSC to be worked? The memo says that some of these applications are dated January 2006 "

I know this was already answered- but yes, we are getting those back in the local offices. Evidently, in the push to 'advertise' the ease with which one could apply- they failed to advise clients that if they were in a non-pilot area that they could send to Midland if they wanted, but Midland wasn't going to do them. I can get the numbers on how many were sent back statewide. If these apps are from January, wonder how many they are getting daily RIGHT NOW that haven't even been looked at yet. I guess we'll get those in August. Here's a post about the Memo.

"Rumors are going around that they want to "cut their losses and get out...". As I said, this is the rumor. Friday is the deadline for the 30 day timeframe for them to "get it right" per the FEDS. Wonder what's going to happen Friday? "

I haven't heard that particular rumor (I heard it from comments here).....I did hear that there will be a meeting in State Office Friday to 'discuss' OES issues. I guess the 'memo' will go out at 4:57 p.m. Friday evening........(smirk).....

"have yall heard anything about thousands of applications being lost? they were never imaged...sounds like trouble between the mail room and imaging room...Our unit rec'd some of those delinquent apps...one guy had turned in two via the internet. I told my supervisor, they should have had some kind of program onthe internet application that when the zip code was put in it kicked it back out and told them where to go and apply. "

Yes, I've heard that as well- that they will image, then shred paper copy. If image doesn't take, image is lost- then information is lost- as the app no longer exists.....

As far as the zip codes- this is two fold- some clients outside of pilot areas ARE TIERS and WOULD have to go through TAA. This was the problem at the start in January- where TIERS clients were told to call 211 and TAA was telling them that if they weren't in Travis or Hayes county, they had to go to local office- without inquiring about TIERS status.

As far as the rumors regarding TIERS going away- I doubt that's going to happen. I'm just an everyday advisor- I'm not privy to information and I don't have an inside line at the "top"- but common sense says that the State has ENOUGH egg on it's face without scrapping a project years in the making that has cost MILLIONS of dollars. Now, to get it to work like they want it to, they are going to spend MILLIONS more- when all they had to do was update SAVERR. Whatever. We, as those in the filed, has known what the issues were, but have you EVER felt like anyone cared? I sure don't.