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Despite another slight uptick in the total applications over 30 days, progress is being made. Over 2,100 actions were completed during protected time last week. The 20,666 actions taken on applications last month was another great effort to meet immediate needs and to address the aged applications. Support units continue to pitch in with SD&T registering applications and working cases and SysOps also helping to register applications and work returned mail. Central Office staff are also handling returned mail and assisting at the JDO. What a team!

Even as it looks like we are beginning to turn the corner, there might be another bump in the road when another unanticipated batch of Marketplace account transfers is registered. It’s unclear whether or not these are recent account transfers or ones that could add to the backlog.

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As predicted, there has been another uptick in the backlog since last week. As mentioned previously, this appears to be a function of our focus on registering of the out of date applications and account transfers, and the aging of more recently received applications as well as factors we are still assessing. On a positive note, with open-enrollment closed we should see some relief from the numerous account transfers we’ve been receiving.

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Good news! This is the first week that indicates a positive trend in addressing the backlog. While the difference is not huge, it is encouraging. Given the tremendous level of effort and the advent of protected work times for staff, we can anticipate more progress in the next few weeks.

Bear in mind that there may still be applications or account transfers that were received over 30 days ago and have yet to be registered. It is also likely that we have more current applications that are on the cusp of becoming out of timeframes. So don’t be discouraged by slippage in the numbers. Great work is being done by all. The fact that last month staff made over 20,000 eligibility determinations on applications in clear evidence of the great work done every day by DPA! Hip-Hip-Hurrah!

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Each year, the Division of Public Assistance provides direct services and benefits to more than 200,000 Alaskans. Offices can receive up to 10,000 initial applications and renewals each month. IN addition, each month Field Offices across the state also receive innumerable reports of change, returned mail, and correspondence from clients and partner agencies correspondence. Under any circumstance this is a monumental body of work.

Historically, we have done an outstanding job managing this staggering volume of work. We also faced periods where we have been confronted large backlogs of work. One challenge many of you may remember was the heavy lifting required years ago to process thousands of DKC applications out of timeframes successfully. We encountered and conquered another enormous challenge when problems with the Heating Assistance System stalled work. Again, just a few short years ago, we were inundated with a surge of applications during the “Great Recession.” We overcame all of these trials despite the difficulties and the Division was acknowledged by both the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Systems and the Food and Nutrition Services for outstanding performance. Although there are a host of reasons contributing to our current situation, I am confident that DPA will rise to the challenge and resume our position as one of the best, if not the best, Public Assistance agency in the nation.

Our Research and Analysis team has been working to compile and tabulate information about the backlog of work that can help illustrate both the extent of the challenge and our progress in addressing the backlog. This has not been an easy task. Management information reports were, quite frankly, something of an afterthought when EIS was created. At this point ARIES management reports are still in a development stage. Consequently, a great deal of effort is needed to combine data from both systems into documents that can capture the outstanding body of work. What follows are several representations of the backlog of work.

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Field Services Managers are hearing numerous feedback from staff statewide about First Contact Resolution (FCR). Staff are seeing the benefits and the reports are positive.

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A Message from the Chief of Field Services to all Field Services Staff

As you are aware by the EIS-R updates, the ARIES Self-Service Portal (SSP) was scheduled to “go-live” on December 13 and we have met this goal! This means the ARIES SSP is available to the public today. Clients can access the SSP via the MyAlaska web portal which enables them to apply for Medicaid.

Hello DPA Staff,

Thank you for your assistance in providing solutions to improve the timeliness of our applications and recertification/renewals. The collaborative problem solving events held in each region brought forward great ideas and suggestions from all of you!

Finally, an EIS-R Project Update! I’m sure many of you have probably been wondering, “What’s going on?”

View this ARIES update. (PDF)

The following set of frequently asked questions about health insurance, medicaid, and Denali KidCare was posted to the DPA public website. Please review and feel free to pass on to others who may want to know more about these topics.

FAQs on health insurance, medicaid, and Denali KidCare. (PDF)

As we are approaching our October 1st GO-LIVE date, the EIS-R Project Team is moving at high speed to bring us closer to a successful ARIES implementation. Now, it is time for user acceptance testing. August is a busy month for technology readiness and testing, a month full of anticipation and excitement.