This article originally appeared in the Denver Post on March 17, 2005.
Gov. Bill Owens announced Wednesday that Deloitte Consulting will do an “extensive” evaluation of the state’s troubled $200 million computer benefits system.
“While most components of the benefits-management system are functioning correctly, there are still some remaining operating problems that must be resolved,” Owens said in a statement.
“CBMS is here to stay, and we’re going to make it work better.”
The Colorado Benefits Management System, or CBMS, was implemented Sept. 1 to streamline the processing of benefits such as food stamps and Medicaid for a half-million residents. Almost immediately, the system bogged down in delivering timely and accurate benefits.
In December, the case backlog was pegged at more than 29,000. The state reported last week it had been cut to 9,500 cases. Deloitte’s work will be completed within six weeks and cost between $325,000 and $365,000, which will be paid by technology funds in the governor’s office.
“The goal is to have the report done before the legislature adjourns,” said Owens spokesman Dan Hopkins.
The legislature waded into the CBMS mess Wednesday, when the joint health and human services committee invited representatives from several counties, the Colorado Health and Hospital Association and health centers that care for Medicaid and uninsured patients to testify about problems they face as a result of CBMS. In addition, representatives of the two state departments most affected provided updates on their efforts to speed up and fix problems processing applications and distributing payments.
Sen. Bob Hagedorn, the Aurora Democrat who chairs the committee, said after the hearing that progress clearly has been made. But, he said, “despite this progress, huge problems still persist. Counties have spent millions of dollars of their own money to work through problems” processing applications and distributing benefits. Once CBMS is fixed, he said, there must be accountability for the problems – and the millions of dollars those problems have cost taxpayers.
The analysis, Hopkins said, “should give us some idea as to whether, when and how we should accept the system” from the company that built it, Electronic Data Systems.
“We support the governor’s initiative to have an independent review of this contract, and we stand ready to help,” said EDS spokesman Bill Ritz. “It will be great to have an outside assessment,” said John
“Chip” Taylor, legislative director for Colorado Counties Inc. The group, which advocates for the state’s 64 counties, will meet Friday with Owens as part of a series of CBMS discussions. Today, the CCI group will discuss CBMS with the legislative Joint Budget Committee. Two weeks ago, the two state agencies asked the JBC for nearly $8.4 million in emergency funds to cover costs associated with a December court order to fix CBMS.
