The MI Bridges website is where Michigan residents apply for benefits like Medicaid and food assistance. The new application tracker allows residents to follow the progress of their application online in real time instead of waiting for a determination letter or calling into a local office.
“Sometimes it’s hard to get ahold of a person right away and you have to wait for a call back and they don’t always like that or it’s not convenient if they’re calling on a break from work or something like that.”
Robin Grinnell is the Community and Education Resources Manager for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. She says this new function has been in development for almost two years.
“We were inspired by the pizza trackers and the ride share trackers and all those things and took a great idea and ran with it.”
The tracker lets residents log in with their phone or other device to see when their application was received, if an appointment has been scheduled, if additional documents are required or if a decision has been made regarding their application.
“It allows residents to have access to their benefits information 24/7 and they don’t have to wait to get ahold of someone in a local office.”
Grinnell says that over 60,000 residents have used the new function so far with a 95% success rate.
The new benefit tracker is available now on the MI Bridges website.
