COVID-19 vaccine recipients struggle to verify eligibility for Colorado’s $1 million drawings

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — After 13 Investigates exposed a flaw in Colorado’s COVID-19 vaccine lottery for people vaccinated through the military or Veterans Affairs, dozens of people with no military affiliation report they’re also having trouble finding their vaccine records in the state’s system.

“I want a shot at the million dollars too,” said Josanna Adamson-Cauler.  

She was vaccinated at the same time and place as her husband, who is showing up in the database, but she’s not.

The State is using immunization data authorized by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to choose the winners.

“I went to the link that you guys provided in your story,” she said. "I put my name in there as Josanna Adamson-Cauler with a hyphen. Josanna Adamson Cauler without a hyphen, with a space, without a space, and my birth date and social security number and it stills says that they can’t find my records.”

13 Investigates asked the State what people in this situation can do to verify eligibility. According to CDPHE:

“Providers are required to report every vaccination to CIIS and we are confident they have entered the vast majority of doses. Providers and vaccine clinics have reported over 5.7 million COVID-19 doses into CIIS. For example, thousands of people have reached out to CDPHE to confirm that their record is in the database because they could not find it through the portal, and of that group, 99% were in the database already. If someone cannot find their record through the portal, it does not mean they are not in the database. We have 10 staff members dedicated to ensuring the data is accurate. 

The primary issue is connected to a mismatch between how the provider entered an individual’s information in the database and how individuals are entering it in the portal. All fields for name, date of birth, gender, address, email and/or phone number must match exactly or the portal will not find the record. If there is a typo in the CIIS entry, the individual still is eligible for the drawing. Anyone having difficulty accessing their information can contact their vaccine provider to determine how the information was entered or contact the CIIS Help Desk.

We want all eligible Coloradans to get vaccinated so they can be entered in the five upcoming drawings. Individuals now scheduling their appointment should pay careful attention to the personal information they submit for their appointment or give to their vaccine provider, and can double-check its accuracy before it is submitted. That will minimize issues if they choose to confirm their vaccine records in CIIS.”

Spokesperson, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

People can reach the CIIS Help Desk at 303-692-2437 and choose option 2, or 1-888-611-9918 and press option 1. Adamson-Cauler told 13 Investigates she called the first phone number listed through the CIIS Help Desk and got a voicemail recording asking her to then send an email.

Wednesday, the State pushed back its deadline for Colorado Comeback Cash eligibility. Originally set for Tuesday, June 1, people vaccinated now have until Thursday, June 4 at midnight to make sure they’re eligible for Friday’s first million-dollar drawing.

Adamson-Cauler hopes she hears back from the Help Desk by then. If not, she’s calling on the governor to postpone the first drawing.

“Governor Polis: I voted for you, but I think you’re wrong on this one," she said. "If you’re going to do it, you need to wait until everyone who’s registered is eligible."

People can check eligibility for the vaccine lottery, officially called Colorado Comeback Cash, through this link.