Published: August 15, 2008 11:00 pm            

Handful of people show up to get application help at FSSA Open House

TERRE HAUTE — Like others, Jackie Opell likes to see caseworkers when she has a problem with her Family and Social Services Administration benefits.

Opell, 29, who moved from Elkhart to Terre Haute in July, attended the FSSA Open House at Ivy Tech Community College to get answers Friday about modernization changes. Those changes have more clients dealing with FSSA over the phone and via Internet instead of in person. Opell said she had spent time on the phone, but after being on hold for 20 minutes, couldn’t get the help she needed because her case hadn’t been transferred yet.

She was one of 17 people who attended the Open House. FSSA officials were not disheartened by that number because 135 people also used the county office for services Friday.

Though her problem was resolved, Opell said she plans to continue seeking help face to face in the future instead of using the phone or going online.

Those who don’t like their caseworker or can’t find time to see one during regular business hours can work out their issues online 24 hours a day or on the phone 12 hours a day.

FSSA unveiled modernization in Vigo County in March. About 45 percent of the state has been modernized, and there’s no timetable as to how long it will take to outfit the entire state.

“We’re going to do it right, not fast,” said Zach Main, Division of Family Resources director of the FSSA.

Across the state, 1.7 million people have applied for benefits by phone and 60,000 applications have been submitted online, Main said.

While there have been complaints of long wait times on the phone, Main said there’s an average of a five-minute hold. Some cases may require more time, however.

Still, Main said that’s probably less time some people spend waiting for a bus to get to an office and less expensive that using the gas to get to an office.

FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob also was on hand Friday. He said he tries to spend one day a week out of Indianapolis checking on things around the state. About modernization, Roob said it appears to be doing reasonably well.

“We’re still doing more outreach, and there’s still room for improvement,” he said.

He’s received a mixed reaction about the modernization, he said, because some people like the face-to-face contact with caseworkers.

Wendy Sanders, 37, of Terre Haute said she would rather speak to someone in person. Sanders went to the Open House to get answers about Medicaid Disability on behalf of her father, who has a terminal illness.

Sanders said she tried to call, but was told the necessary documents were lost even after she faxed them a few times. If the caseworker follows through with what was discussed Friday, Sanders said the problem should be fixed.

Main said people have been told their documents were lost because of a combination of reasons. Applicants are encouraged to fax and mail documents with an FSSA cover sheet they can get by printing off the Web site or picking up at the office. Documents mailed to applicants from FSSA also include a cover sheet they can use when they return the paperwork.

The cover sheet has a bar code on it that can make it easier to connect the paperwork to the case, Main said. Without the cover sheet, it can take one to two business days for the documents to be entered into the system, but only one day with a cover sheet.

Another reason for the lost excuse was because call center operators were not using the right terminology. They would tell people the paperwork was lost when it was really in transit — the time it takes for the documents to be matched to the proper case and entered in the system, Main said.

It was unclear if Sanders had a cover sheet when she faxed her documents, but Roob said the Medicaid Disability program can be complex and often does require face-to-face interaction because Indiana uses different standards than other states.

“It has been a problem for some time,” he said, noting that is something he plans to bring to the next legislative session.

For more information about FSSA benefits, visit www.in.gov/fssa, call 1-800-403-0864 or visit the office at 43L Meadows shopping center, Terre Haute, IN 47803.

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.

        

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