The number of Coloradans known to be wrongly getting monthly telephone subsidies meant for the indigent might grow by hundreds more when the state matches its welfare rolls with rural residents receiving the benefit.
Based on earlier computer checks that found nearly 10,000 people improperly getting a taxpayer-financed discount on their monthly Qwest telephone bill, the Colorado Department of Human Services says it’s likely they’ll uncover hundreds of others who are getting the subsidy from the state’s other telecom providers.
With 32 telecom operators in Colorado able to provide the discount through the state’s Low-Income Telephone Assistance Program, it could take weeks to learn the offenders’ names, DHS spokeswoman Liz McDonough said.
The state recently discovered 9,843 people were getting the $16.50 monthly discount from Qwest though they weren’t eligible for it, in part because DHS hasn’t cross-checked the list of recipients with the state’s welfare rolls since 2005.
It’s unclear how many of the individuals were eligible for the discount at one time — anyone receiving aid from one of six welfare programs qualifies for LiTAP assistance — and were later ineligible.
A computer glitch prevented DHS from conducting the check, and the ongoing oversight wasn’t caught until recently. Estimates put the misallocated amount as high as $7.9 million.
Colorado provides LiTAP aid to 25,000 households, about 95 percent of them through Qwest, DHS officials said.
That leaves another 1,300 households getting the discount through one of the other telecoms serving the state.
“Potentially there are hundreds more who might be receiving LiTAP who shouldn’t be,” McDonough said.
Qwest has started notifying the first third from the list of ineligible recipients, each of whom has 60 days to prove they should still be getting the aid or it will be discontinued.
Under new rules, eligible public assistance clients must apply directly to DHS by phone, Internet or mail. The agency will certify a person’s eligibility and forward the information weekly to the telecom, which will begin the discount.
Recertifications will be done yearly, McDonough said.
The subsidy is made up of the federal Universal Service Fund, which provides a break on phone service to the indigent, and the state’s LiTAP program.
Last month, 28 telecoms in Colorado were paid with USF funds, according to program records. The most — $236,300 — was to Qwest. Next highest for the month, $6,280, was to Centurytel of Eagle, records show.
David Migoya: 303-954-1506 or dmigoya@denverpost.com
