sylvia lee-dipace las cruces, new mexico created on Wed April 16, 2014

I'm an Eligibility Specialist in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Our Medicaid offices were not prepared for such a large volume of people to qualify for Medicaid here in New Mexico. A lot of people who didn't qualify (even by just a few hundred dollars) were confused as to what to do next. The Medicaid offices were too slow in denying Medicaid. They need a better way of denying Medicaid and getting those denials out quickly, instead of having consumers wait months to hear a response. Some people were qualified for the adult expansion Medicaid, but then their Medicaid was terminated when they filed their tax returns.

We need a better way of thinking, more time to help these people and more time to qualify these people. A lot of clients want to comply with the law but a lot are innocent in their way of thinking because of our culture as New Mexicans. Many have never had an opportunity to purchase insurance or qualified for reduced healthcare before. So, I speak for my people when I say: We need a better way of making the Medicaid system communicate, get denials out sooner and more time to prepare the people for their new healthcare options.