Special master appointed to oversee UHIP resolution

PROVIDENCE – U.S. District Judge William Smith appointed Deming Sherman as a special master to oversee the resolution of Rhode Island’s ongoing problems with its benefits eligibility system known as the Unified Health Infrastructure Project.

“For too long, the state has pointed its finger at the UHIP vendor, Deloitte, but that does not put food on the table of Rhode Island’s poor. We are hopeful that the special master will take action in the near future to provide interim relief to hundreds of needy families while the broader problems of the UHIP fiasco are investigated and resolved,” said American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island Executive Director Steven Brown.

The ACLU of Rhode Island sued the state Department of Health and Human Services over its failure to deliver timely Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, or food stamps, to needy families and individuals due in large part to its transition to a the new UHIP computer system. The organization settled the suit with Rhode Island recognizing its responsibility to deliver SNAP benefits in a timely manner, but failed to satisfy the ACLU of Rhode Island, which brought the case back to court.

“Given the state’s complete failure to resolve ongoing problems with the UHIP computer system, we are pleased that the court has appointed a special master to compel the state into compliance. The state’s repeated and ongoing inability to timely provide needed assistance to hungry families is appalling. Today the court formally recognized this through the appointment of a special master,” said Brown.

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