"Washington, D.C., didn't start work until June and now has completed repairs on ONLY 2% of its critical systems, the worst completion level in the country."
(Fortunately Montgomery County is way ahead of the pack. CK)
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ACROSS THE U.S., Y2K PROBLEM IN VARIOUS STATES OF REPAIR
Lack of Funds, Support Hinder Efforts to Conquer Computer Bug
LA TIMES - Feb 1 '99 by Ashley Dunn, Times Staff Writer
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The progress of the states covers a wide range that defies easy description...
According to a survey by the General Accounting Office conducted in November, only a third of the 421 computer systems used by the states to manage seven federal welfare programs were reported as repaired ... The potential problems included overpayments to recipients, under-payments, delayed payments and denied benefits. In addition, a year 2000 failure could make the state unable to add new recipients and determine benefits for new applicants.
"Failure to complete year 2000 conversion could result in billions of dollars in benefit payments not being delivered," the GAO report said.
The problem for many states has been a shortage of money and will to deal with a problem that seems to have grown in expense and complexity each year. Even in states where the problem is given priority, it still must compete against a host of other priorities for state funding.
According to a random survey of 500 U.S. COUNTIES in November by the National Assn. of Counties, nearly half have NO COUNTYWIDE PLANS for repairing the computer glitch, allowing each of their agencies to deal with the problem on their own. Out of the 500 counties, 23 have not even taken the most basic step of assessing whether their systems are vulnerable to a year 2000 problem ...
"It wasn't taken as a problem of dire severity," said Micheal Baker, House Republican co-chairman of the state's [Wyoming] joint appropriations committee. "Maybe it was naive of us, but here we are." ....
Most states have repaired the year 2000 problems in at least half their critical systems, an encouraging sign according to some experts. The completion rate of he remaining states covers a wide range.
SLOW PROGRESS
A November survey found that only about a third of state computer systems dealing with seven major federal welfare programs were year-2000-compliant.
Medicaid
- Compliant: 16%
- Not compliant: 84%
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
- Compliant: 25%
- Not compliant: 75%
Food stamps
- Compliant: 24%
- Not compliant: 76%
Child support enforcement
- Compliant: 38%
- Not compliant: 62%
Women, Infants and Children
- Compliant: 38%
- Not compliant: 62%
Child care
- Compliant: 56%
- Not compliant: 44%
Child welfare programs
- Compliant: 51%
- Not compliant: 49%
Source: "Year 2000 Computing Crisis," U.S. General Accounting Office
latimes.com
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