"Existing customers may view their online account and make a payment, but they must contact HSRI if they want to report a change such as a new address, change in income, or new member of the household,'' Ashley G. O'Shea, the spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Health & Human Services said Wednesday.
"Our team is working as quickly as it can to resolve this issue," she said, noting the new enrollees have not been effected.
It is not yet clear how many customers have already been affected, and how many more customers of the state's health-benefits exchange might be so. But it is one of many questions unanswered since the somewhat bumpy roll-out a week ago of the state's largest ever IT project — known as UHIP.
Shortly after The Journal reported the filing of a grievance by one of the state workers assaulted by an upset client, at the Department of Human Services field office in Providence on Day One of the computer launch, Department of Administration Director Michael DiBiase issued this statement to the media:
“We have heard concerns from our workers about security, and we want to be responsive to those concerns. Out of an abundance of caution, we will be providing additional security at our DHS offices for a limited period of time.”
Late Wednesday afternoon, an administration spokeswoman elaborated on how many additional officers have been stationed at the DHS field offices where wait times ran long, and emotions ran high last week as computer glitches and worker-training issues slowed operations to a crawl in some reported cases.
Prior to computer launch, "each office had one security officer with the exception of Providence, which had 3 Capitol police officers. After going live we added an additional security officer in Providence and Pawtucket and Wakefield."
Late last week, J. Michael Downey, president of Council 94, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees — characterized the roll out as an "absolute mess.'' DHS employee Valeria Varrecchione filed a grievance in hopes of convincing the administration to provide more security at the field offices where state workers process applications for food stamps, cash assistance, subsidized child care and health care.
She did so after an upset client — who was later charged by state police with disorderly conduct and simple assault — reportedly slapped her across the face with a sheaf of papers, after slapping and shoving a computer at a colleague.
DiBiase initially said: “The transformation of a three-decades-old system to a modern, digital enrollment and eligibility system ... has gone smoothly by any reasonable expectation ... Our team has been working around the clock to address issues as they arise.’’
- DiBiase's statement on the decision to provide extra security came a day later.
—kgregg@providencejournal.com
(401) 277-7078
On Twitter: @kathyprojo
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