KIVITV.COM | Boise. News, Breaking News, Weather and Sports-Computer Glitch Causes Idahoans To "Lose" U.S. Citizenship
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A small computer glitch has caused big problems for more than 500 Idahoans statewide – causing them to lose not only their benefits, but their United States citizenship. Tom Shanahan, spokesman for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, said 519 people will receive a letter from the department stating their Medicaid and cash assistance was stopped because they are not "recognized" as U.S. citizens.
Nampa resident Sara Pope is one of those. The notification she recently received read: "As of June 30th 2010, the Dept. of Health and Welfare is stopping your AABD and this is the reason why…must be a citizen or eligible alien to get aid …" Pope said she was stunned to find out Idaho doesn't consider her a legal U.S. citizen, despite being born at Mercy Medical Center in Nampa.
According to Shanahan, the large group of Idahoans who received monthly payments from both Cash Assistance and Medicaid had their U.S. citizenship inadvertently "deleted."
"We think some of our information of citizenship didn't transfer from the old system to our new system in November," he explained. Without having their citizenship recognized, their benefits were automatically revoked. "The fact that something this tremendous can happen to so many people because of a small malfunction is scary," said Pope, who depends on her $647 monthly payments.
Pope said the possibility of losing all her crucial and personal information scares her, and while she hopes it won't happen again -- it could. "With an automated system, there's always a chance you'll get a hiccup or burp," said Shanahan.
The Dept. of Health and Welfare already sent letters out to all those affected by the computer error. Shanahan said the department is fixing the problem by manually inputting the information into the computer system. He said the problem should be fixed within two weeks.
If you receive benefits and have questions, you are urged to call the Dept. Health and Welfare Processing Center at 1-877-456-1238.
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