TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A state audit has found that Kansas spent more than $2 million fighting a backlog of unprocessed first-time applications for the Medicaid health care program that covers the poor.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the audit released Wednesday also found that the state has stopped reviewing renewal applications, although it continues to provide services to those waiting for renewal.

As of mid-August, nearly 35,000 renewal applications were waiting to be processed.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has sharply reduced the number of unprocessed applications from a peak of about 14,000 a few months ago. About 1,700 applications currently continue to linger for more than 45 days.

KDHE Deputy Secretary Aaron Dunkel says the agency has made good progress and would continue to make improvements.