JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — An Indiana company hired to determine the eligibility of Missouri Medicaid patients for in-home care has instead "been a complete disaster from the beginning," statewide health care advocates charged on Tuesday.

Indianapolis-based SynCare LLC won a state contract in February to assess whether Missouri's 55,000 Medicaid recipients, many of whom are senior citizens or disabled, qualify for home-based medical services or even help with cooking, cleaning and other daily chores. The contract is worth more than $5 million a year.

Several groups that represent such patients instead want the state to cancel the company's contract, which took effect in mid-May. They say SynCare has been unable to fulfill its responsibilities and is keeping needy patients from receiving vital care with comically inept customer service.

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