Bipartisan Senate “Gang of Six” Health Care Negotiators to Talk by Phone on September 4th

The group of six Finance negotiators include Finance Chairman Baucus(D-MT) and Ranking Member Grassley (R-IA), Democratic Senators Jeff Bingaman (N.M.) and Kent Conrad (N.D.), and Republican Mike Enzi (WY) and Olympia Snowe (ME). The group met once during the August recess, with no breakthroughs in the talks. The call is rumored to be the means of “jump starting” talks on Finance health care legislation following the August recess. The Senate Finance Committee expects to unveil its health care proposal by September 15th.
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Congratulations to Tim Kral and ORA on Oregon Nonprofit Award

The Oregon Rehabilitation Association was named a 100 Best Nonprofit by the Oregon Business Magazine. The award ceremony will be held in September. Visit ORA’s website for more information on this prestigious award. Read more!

UPDATE: HUD Releases Section 811 NOFA

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the 2009 Notice of Funds Available (NOFA) for Section 811 funds. The deadline for application submission is now December 16, 2009. Read more!

Deadline Extended to September 11, 2009 - Encourage Your DSPs to Participate TODAY!

ANCOR, through the National Advocacy Campaign, is gathering information on the proficiency and use of certain technologies by the direct support workforce both personally and in their work. This information is being collected by ANCOR to study and consider ways in which certain technologies may:

1. Mitigate the anticipated impact of the growing direct support workforce crisis on our industry and ability to deliver quality supports;

2. Improve the efficiency of supports provided by DSPs;

3. Provide cost saving opportunities for providers.

This survey is intended for response by DSPs only. This survey is anonymous and poses questions related to proficiency, usage and opinions of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) related to technology, in general.

ANCOR will use the results of this survey to recommend practices and policies for better use of technology, resulting in more efficient delivery of supports provided by the direct support workforce to people with disabilities.

We encourage agencies to share this survey with their DSPs and solicit their participation.

We also encourage DSPs that are interested in participating in this survey to notify their agency and/or immediate supervisor of their interest prior to completing the form.

The survey is active now through September 11, 2009.

Click here to access the survey.

We appreciate your involvement as we work to develop sound policies and practices that strengthen the ability of providers and DSPs to efficiently deliver quality supports to their clients.

Thank you in advance for your participation. Please contact Jeff Britt at jbritt@mwcllc.com should you have any questions.
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ANCOR Meets with White House Officials on Home and Community Based Services

On August 27, as a follow-up to the meeting that President Obama had with disability community representatives on July 24, ANCOR, as part of a group of advocates for home and community-based long-term services and supports met with Nancy-Ann DeParle and other senior staff at the White House to discuss the Community First Choice Option.

The meeting participants had a frank and productive discussion concerning the possible opportunities and barriers of including a Community First Choice Medicaid State option (CFC Option) in the final health reform legislation. The CFC Option is a broadly supported proposal that emerged from discussions with Senator Harkin's office and Representative Davis's office as a way to make progress on home and community-based services and supports under Medicaid and a way to lay the foundation for later enactment of the Community Choice Act.

The disability representatives thanked the President's staff for his strong leadership on enacting comprehensive health reform that will help advance the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act by eliminating disability-based discrimination in health care coverage and barring pre-existing condition exclusions. They also thanked the White House Staff for their time and support for expanding choices in long-term services and supports, and all agreed to keep open the lines of communication as health care reform heats up again when Congress returns from the August recess.

Attending the meeting from the White House were Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Care Reform; Jeff Crowley, Director of the White House Office on National AIDS Policy and Senior Advisor on Disability Policy within the Domestic Policy Council; Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy; and Keith Fontenot from the Office of Management and Budget.

Those invited to meet with White House staff were Mike Oxford and Cassie James from ADAPT, Kelly Buckland and Lou Ann Kibbee from the National Council on Independent Living, Marty Ford of The Arc/UCP Disability Policy Collaboration and Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), Chester Finn of Self Advocates Becoming Empowered, Daniel Fisher of the National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer Survivor Organizations, Ari Ne'eman of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Suellen Galbraith of ANCOR and CCD, Lee Page of Paralyzed Veterans of America, Andy Imparato of the American Association of People with Disabilities, and Bob Williams, President Clinton's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Disability and Long-term Care Policy who attended as a private citizen.
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President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) releases report assessing H1N1 preparations

A Presidential advisory group released a report assessing the Obama Administration’s preparations for the expected fall resurgence of H1N1 virus and outlining key steps officials can take to minimize the virus’s impact on the nation.

The report concludes that the 2009 H1N1 virus will most likely not resemble the pandemic of 1918-1919 however, it “poses a serious health threat” to the nation when compared to the benign swine flu from 1976. The H1N1 virus is not deadlier than previous viruses, rather it affects more people because it is a new virus that few people have immunity to.

The group lists several prime recommendations including: accelerating the preparation of flu vaccines for distribution to high-risk individuals; clarifying guidelines for the use of antiviral medicines; upgrading the current system for tracking the pandemic’s progress and making resource allocation decisions; accelerating the development of communication strategies—including Web-based social networking tools—to broadcast public health messages that can help mitigate the pandemic’s impact; and identifying a White House point person with primary authority to coordinate key decisions across the government as the pandemic evolves.
For more about PCAST, visit: http://www.ostp.gov/cs/pcast.

The Obama administration is already taking action based on the recommendations of PCAST. The CDC is expected to release revised flu treatment guidelines by the end of the month.

At the same time, problems with vaccine production are arising. The government expected to have 120 million vaccines available October 15th, however it now estimates it will only have 45 million vaccines ready and 20 million more would be ready each week through the end of December. Read more!

State Updates on H1N1 Virus

New York and Arizona both have had changes to the handling of the H1N1 virus.

The New York State Health Department is requiring health care workers across the state to be vaccinated for the seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus. The regulation affects workers and volunteers who come into contacts with patients at hospitals, in home health care agencies, and in hospice care, but through a technicality in state law, not in nursing homes.

Banner Hospitals across the state of Arizona have discontinued using the one-hour H1N1 virus test. The decision to halt use of the test, which was primarily used in emergency rooms, came because of the high number of false negatives the test produced. According to Banner microbiologist, roughly 50% of patients with negative results actually had the virus. Banner hospitals will now rely on the standard H1N1 test that takes 24 to 72 hours to complete.
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CDC Releases Business Plan for Upcoming Flu Season

The Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced new guidance for businesses to plan for and respond to the upcoming flu season. The CDC designed the guidance to help employers prepare for the impact the seasonal and 2009 H1N1 virus could have this fall and winter on their employees and operations.

The guidance may be found at http://www.flu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/guidance.html. CDC has also produced a communication toolkit for businesses and employers, which is attached and may also be found at http://www.flu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/toolkit.html.
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Effective Emergency Management: Making Improvements for Communities and People with Disabilities

EAD & Associates along with The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a report titled Effective Emergency Management: Making Improvements for Communities and People with Disabilities. The report recommends changes in emergency management and goes over practices that would better address the needs of people with disabilities. The report dives into examples of existing successful practices and evaluates emergency preparedness, disaster relief, and homeland security program efforts taken by both public and private sectors. Read more!

No COLA for Social Security and SSI Beneficiaries Possible for 2010

The recent Social Security Trustees report indicates the possibility of no cost of living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security and SSI beneficiaries for 2010. Annual Social Security benefits increases are, by law, based on the rate of inflation in the third quarter of the previous year; the law prevents benefits from being reduced based on negative inflation. Since it is predicted that this years' third quarter (July through September) will show no increase in inflation, the expectation is that there will be no COLA for benefits in 2010. Advocates for Congressional intervention point out that an automatic increase in Medicare prescription drug program premiums will result in reduced funds available to meet beneficiaries' monthly expenses. The Social Security Administration typically reports on the up-coming COLA amounts in mid-October. Read more!

Please Send a Thank You Letter to Your Senators for National Direct Support Professionals Week!

In a show of bipartisan support, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved Senate Resolution 228 designating the week beginning September 14 as "National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week." Sponsored by Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE), the resolution recognizes the invaluable supports Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide and the difference this workforce makes in the lives of Americans with disabilities.

Please use ANCOR’s Action Center to send a note thanking your Senators for National DSP Week. If one of your Senators was one of the original co-sponsors be sure to give them special recognition. Sponsoring any National DSP Week activity is a great opportunity to thank your Senators by mentioning them during your activities. If you sponsor any National DSP Week activities or media outreach, please let ANCOR know by contacting Mary Pauline Jones. Read more!

HHS Delegates Authority for the HIPAA Security Rule to Office for Civil Rights

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will take over from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority for the administration and enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The switch is to eliminate duplication and increase efficiency in how health information privacy is protected. Read more!

Grants.Gov Web Site Offers New Feature for Information on Applying for All ARRA Federal Grants – Webinars Available to Learn New Feature

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released a new feature on Grants.gov to help users find and apply for The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant opportunities. The Recovery Act feature will be on the homepage of Grants.gov and will direct users to Recovery Act opportunities, other Recovery Act resources, upcoming Webinars and links to www.whitehouse.gov/recovery.

HHS will host a webinar series on August 12, 13, 18, and 20. The Webinar sessions will target potential grant applicants and will include Introduction to Grants.gov and the Recovery Act, Finding Recovery Act Opportunities and Registration to Submit Recovery Act Opportunities. Each webinar session will be recorded and made available on Grants.gov after the series is completed. For more information on the webinars go to, http://www.grants.gov/applicants/recovery_webinar.jsp.
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Energy and Commerce Finishes Health Reform Legislation Markup; Senate Finance Pushes Theirs to September

On Friday, July 31, the House Energy and Commerce voted 31-28--along party lines--to approve the America's Affordable Health Choices Act (H.R. 3200). The House Education and Labor and Ways and Means Committees and the Senate HELP Committee have already passed their versions of health reform legislation. The Senate Finance Committee, the only committee of jurisdiction that has not marked up a health reform bill, will not mark up before the Senate recesses on August 7, pushing back the timeline even further for a Senate floor vote. Before the full chamber can vote on a bill, the Senate HELP and Finance Committees must merge their bills. The Senate HELP Committee was the first congressional committee to complete its mark up of healthcare reform legislation, on July 15th.

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WICS Live: Around the States

Minnesota: New Law Requires Providers, Payers to Use Electronic Billing Takes Effect. The law, which was enacted in 2007, is anticipated to save millions in administrative costs. The Department of Health estimated that e-billing will save both providers and payers about $60 million annually, while streamlining billing processes, and increasing accuracy and, as a result, efficiency. The law also mandates that providers and payers electronically exchanging payment remittances, effective December 15th. Costs savings is also expected from this switch. Read more!

WICS Live: Around the States

Connecticut: State Lawmakers Override Governor’s Veto, Approve Framework for Universal Health Care Program in State. The legislation, approved by lawmakers July 20th following Governor Jodi Rell’s (R) veto July 8th, establishes a 9-member board of directors that must submit recommendations on the implementation of SustiNet Plan by January 1, 2011. SustiNet will be a self-insured health care plan that will be offered to state employees and retirees, current HUSKY enrollees (which is the state’s CHIP), Medicaid beneficiaries, and persons without or unable to afford employer-sponsored health insurance. The legislation also calls for the panel to make recommendations on numerous other aspects of the plan, including development of a model benefits package, public outreach and methods of identifying uninsured citizens, and the creation of task forces to study specific issues including obesity, tobacco use and the health care workforce. The legislation does not specify from where funds for the program will come. While Rell lauded the goal of SustiNet, she vetoed the legislation because, she believed, the state could not afford to proceed with the plan given its financial implications. The program is estimated to cost $1 billion annually. Read more!

WICS Live: Around the States

State Tax Revenues at Record Low, Report Finds. A recent report bythe Rockefeller Institute of Government found that the lackluster economy decimated state tax collections during the first quarter of the year. The drop in state revenues was the steepest in the 46 years that data is available. State coffers fared no better in the second quarter, and suggests that many states will have to resort to move spending cuts or tax increases to balance their budgets. Over all, the report found that state tax collections dropped 11.7 percent in the first quarter of 2009, compared with the same period last year. After adjusting for inflation and new changes, the report found that tax revenues had declined in 47 of the 50 states in the quarter. As bad as the first quarter was, the second quarter is shaping up to be even worse, the report said. Preliminary data for the first two months of the quarter, April and May, collected from 45 states, indicated that tax revenues declined by 20% compared with the same period last year. Read more!

WICS Live: Around the States

Pennsylvania: Still No Budget Deal. With the state’s budget is a month overdue, little progress seems to be made in reaching a budget compromise. While lawmakers continue to try and hammer out a compromise with Governor Ed Rendell, state workers July 31st had their first “Payless Friday”, as state workers are remaining on the job during the budget impasse. Read more!

WICS Live: Around the States

California: Budget Signed but Medi-Cal Takes Big Hit. A revised budge signed July 28th by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger contained an additional $2 billion in cuts to health case, including $1.4 billion in new Medi-Cal spending reductions. The bulk of reduced state Medi-Cal expenditures—$1 billion—is expected to be restored by increased federal Medicaid funding under waivers and payment of past due amounts. As reported elsewhere in this issue, the budget package also authorizes the Department of Health Care Services to seek federal waivers allowing California to restructure Medi-Cal to better coordinate care among providers and provide incentives for improved treatment outcomes for high-cost enrollees—including seniors, individuals with disabilities, children with significant medical needs, and individuals with behavioral health issues. The remaining reductions come from adjustments implementation of new federal and state drug pricing policies; a line item veto reducing county funding to administer Medi-Cal; expanded efforts to combat fraud, waste, and abuse; freezing program rates as of August 1, 2009, among other items. The budget also seeks $1 billion in savings by 2012-13 by requiring online enrollment and eligibility for the Medi-Cal, CalWORKs—the state’s welfare-to-work program, and Food Stamp programs. The budget package also cuts $178.6 million from the state's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) program, Healthy Families. Read more!

WICS Live: Around the States

New Hampshire: Medicaid Funding Running Out, According to State Officials.Just two weeks into the state’s new fiscal year, rising unemployment and increased Medicaid enrollment is pushing the state’s Medicaid budget into the red. The new budget projected a 1% increase in Medicaid enrollment in the current fiscal year, which began July 1st. As of July 14th, the state’s Medicaid director predicted that the Medicaid program was only 39 new enrollees away from running a deficit. Already, providers have laid off staff and limited Medicaid services. Read more!