Kucinich: Ohio computer mistakenly kicks thousands off health care rolls

CLEVELAND - U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is asking federal officials to investigate complaints about the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services new health care computer system.

In the letter, sent on Wednesday to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Kucinich said the state's recent switch to a computer system called the Medicaid Information Technology System (MITS) has caused "tragic problems."

Kucinich said the system "expunged en masse approximately 15,000 Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Savings Program" that resulted in individuals having their Social Security benefits reduced.

Kucinich also said he has been contacted by constitutents on Medicaid who have been unable to fill their prescriptions because the state's computer system will not allow their pharmacists to bill Medicaid.

Finally, Kucinich said two Medicaid providers contacted his office complaining about late payments.

Ben Johnson, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, said the issues are not related to MITS.

In a statement, Johnson wrote, "All Medicaid beneficiaries are required to re-enroll every year. The individuals in question did not do that."

Johnson said problems at pharmacies may be related to pharmacists being unfamiliar with MITS. People who may need to re-enroll should visit their county department of job and family services.

Kucinich was "not surprised" the state denied have any problems with MITS.

"The state of Ohio's excuses are not acceptable. You can't blame the pharmacists. You can't blame the people. The state has to take responsibility for fumbling a transition from one type of computer system to another," he said.

A NewsChannel5 viewer brought this story to our attention.

Mindi Wertz, of Lakewood, was recently unable to fill precriptions for high blood pressure, diabetes and other medications at her pharmacy. She said other customers at her pharmacy were experiencing the same problem.

"These people, we need our medication. There's people that have diabetes like me and glaucoma and high blood pressure," said Wertz.

He said he wants the federal officials to work with ODJFS to set up a hotline to help beneficiaries re-enroll and notify all affected persons by mail of the errors.

Kucinich is also asking federal inspectors to be deployed to Ohio to investigate and fix any problems with MITS.