Saturday, October 3, 2009
WICS Live: Around the States
In other news, lawmakers September 12th also approved legislation to temporarily unemployed Medi-cal beneficiaries with disabilities participating in the state’s Working Disabled Program to remain on Medi-cal for up to 26 weeks as long as federal funding is available. The extension would take effect 30 days after the temporary ARRA-funded increase in the state's Medicaid FMAP is no longer available. The bill was also sent to the governor for signature.
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Friday, October 2, 2009
House Eyeing What the Senate Does on Health Care.
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New Co-Sponsors for the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act
Senate Finance Chairman’s Mark and Amendments Include Long-Term Supports and Services.
ANCOR staff made Capitol Hill visits on these and other long-term services’ issues this week in addition to its ANCOR grassroots alert. ANCOR and other disability and aging groups will do another round of Capitol Hill visits and grassroots phone-in on Thursday, October 8th following Senate Finance Committee adoption early next week of its health care plan.
Several important long-term supports and services provisions were included: (1) Senator Schumer’s (D-NY) Community First Choice state option; (2) Senator Cantwell’s (D-WA) Home and Community Balanced Incentives Act that temporarily increases the federal matching rate for HCBS for states that undertake structural reforms over five years to increase diversion for nursing homes, ICFs/MR, and other institutions through either a HCBS waiver or state plan amendment; (3) Senator Kerry’s (D-MA) provision to improve access to HCBS under the Medicaid’s 1915(j) state option –that would let states seek approval from HHS that place services on a par with nursing home and HCBS waiver eligibility criteria to offer “additional services” under the HCBS state and to offer these HCBS to individuals who make more than 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) but no more than 300 percent of the supplemental security income (SSI) level, and (4) Senator Rockefeller’s (D-WV) Sense of the Senate that this Congress should address long-term services and supports in a comprehensive way that guarantees elderly and disabled individuals requiring the Department of Justice to perform an annual evaluation of state compliance with federal Olmsted laws. Work still continues on ANCOR’s NAC efforts to get language regarding the direct support professional workforce issue included in the Committee’s final bill as we did with the HELP Committee bill.
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Senate Finance Wraps Up Health Reform Mark Up Early This Morning and Planning Committee Vote Next Week
The next phase of moving toward a floor vote on health care reform in the Senate involves merging the Finance bill with a bill previously passed by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will be directing the melding of the Senate Finance and HELP versions of health care reform in his office along The word is that his efforts will also include top White House officials and Finance Chairman Baucus, HELP Chairman Harkin (D-IA) and Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) who was the acting the acting HELP Committee Chair with his work on a health reform bill. That “merged” health reform bill require that a Senate bill be drafted in actual “statutory language,” requiring another CBO scoring which may take up to two weeks. This timeframe conflicts with Majority Leader Reid’s announcement that the Senate will forgo its annual Columbus Day week-long recess beginning October 12th because the final Senate bill will be brought to the floor that week.
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Thursday, October 1, 2009
Drug Store Groups Sue Three States Over Medicaid Reimbursement Rates.
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President Obama Issues National Disability Employment Month Proclamation
As Americans, we possess a range of vocational opportunities to make the most of our talents and succeed in a chosen career; those with disabilities are entitled to the same opportunities.
I call on all Americans to celebrate the contributions of individuals with disabilities to our workplaces and communities, and to promote the employment of individuals with disabilities to create a better, more inclusive America, one in which every person is rightly recognized for his or her abilities and accomplishments.
This year’s theme for National Disability Employment Month is Expectation +
New Kaiser 50-State Survey Reports Sharp Increase in Medicaid Enrollment and Spending Amidst Worst Recession in Decades.
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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
States Move to Require Some Health Care Workers to Receive H1N1 Vaccination
What's at Issue?
An increasing number of doctors, nurses and other health-care workers for the first time are being required to get flu shots, in part because of concerns that the swine flu pandemic may overwhelm the U.S. health-care system.
Who's Objecting and Why?
Some health-care workers are objecting for a variety of reasons, including concerns about the safety of the vaccine, the sentiment that being vaccinated should remain voluntary and, in some cases, the mistaken fear that the vaccine itself can cause the flu.
For Example...
States: New York this year became the first state to require flu shots, a policy that affects about 522,000 employees.
Hospitals: The Hospital Corp. of America, known as HCA, in Nashville, the nation’s largest private hospital chain, is also requiring the shots this year, a policy that affects an estimated 120,000 employees in 20 states.
Providers: MedStar Health, the largest health-care employer in the Washington region, is requiring flu shots this year for the first time for all 25,000 of its employees and 5,000 affiliated physicians. Read more!
GAO Releases Report on VR Funding Formula
Monday, September 28, 2009
New Mexico Families Feel Betrayed By Unkept Promise and Funding to Address DD Waiting Lists
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Friday, September 25, 2009
Community First Choice Option Included in Senate Finance Committee Legislation
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) introduced the language of the CFC Option as an amendment, but Chairman Baucus (D-MT) included it in modifications to his original mark.
Language on the Community First Choice Option from the Chairman’s Mark:
Insert ―The Chairman’s Mark would establish the Community First Choice Option, which would create a state plan option under section 1915 of the Social Security Act to provide community based attendant supports and services to individuals with disabilities who are Medicaid eligible and who require an institutional level of care. These services and supports include assistance toindividuals with disabilities in accomplishing activities of daily living and health related tasks. States who choose the Community First Choice Option would be eligible for enhanced federal match rate of an additional six percentage points for reimbursable expenses in the program. The option would sunset after five years.
―The Community First Choice Option also would require data collection to help determine how states are currently providing home and community based services, the cost of those services, and whether states are currently offering individuals with disabilities who otherwise qualify for institutional care under Medicaid the choice to instead receive home and community based services, as required by the U.S. Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C. (1999).
―The Community First Choice Option would also modify the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration to reduce the amount of time required for individuals to qualify for that program to 90 days.
Read more!
Two New Housing Voucher Reports Available
Remember: October is National Disability Employment Month
Activities to Recognize National Disability Employment Awareness Month:
• Employer recognition events
• Share successes with the media
• Identify employers who hire people with disabilities to the media
• Host events highlighting employers and individuals
• Meet with and form partnerships with local workforce investment boards and one stop centers
• Work with your governor’s office to issue a proclamation
The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has made available the NDEM 2009 Poster. The posters are available in one size, 20” x 15,” at no cost to you. Please enter your online order here. The maximum order is 100 posters. You may also download PDF versions of the posters.
ANCOR joins with providers of employment and vocational supports in celebrating NDEM and appreciates all of your efforts to expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. Please share any NDEM activities or ideas your agency or state association is sponsoring with Jessica Sadowsky at jsadowsky@ancor.org.
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HIPAA Breach Rule Update—Discount for ANCOR Members
The price is $49.50; however, ANCOR members are eligible for a 10% discount. You can order by phone at (800) 894-1243 with a credit card. Just tell the folks at Gilliland & Markette that you are an ANCOR member.
Gilliland & Markette LLP
3905 Vincennes Road, Suite 204
Indianapolis, Indiana 46268
Telephone: (317) 704-2400
Toll Free: (800) 894-1243
Fax: (317) 704-2410
Mail to: thefirm@gillilandmarkette.com
http://www.gillilandmarkette.com
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House and Senate Continue Health Care Debate
The Senate Finance Committee’s health care markup now appears likely to spill over into next week, due in large part to the sheer number of amendments filed against Chairman Max Baucus’ (D-MT) bill. The markup continued apace Thursday, with Finance members bracing for a third consecutive late night of amendment consideration, as well as a Friday session. But Baucus, who had hoped to conclude the markup by week’s end, hedged when asked if that goal would be met. Still, the Finance chairman said he was happy with the progress on his $900 billion plan so far.
The “public option” remains a major point of contention as Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) is set to offer an amendment to replace the bill’s nonprofit health insurance cooperatives with a public insurance option. Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said Republicans would likely offer more than 100 amendments before the markup concludes.
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Thursday, September 24, 2009
Kaiser Family Foundation Resources
Massachusetts Appoints New Senator
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
H1N1 Vaccine Update
Contrary to what experts expected, clinical trials now show the H1N1 vaccine is effective for adults and children ages 10 to 17 with one dose, not two. Children 9 and under will need two doses. Clinical trials have not yet finished for pregnant women. Studies have concluded that once vaccinated, a person develops immunity to the virus within 8 to 10 days. This recent change means that the vaccine supply will go twice as far, which will allow all people within the CDC’s high risk groups to receive vaccination before the flu’s midwinter peak. Read more!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Kaiser Family Foundation Releases Two HCBS Documents
The first, entitled Advancing Access to HCBS discusses how in order for more individuals to be served in home and community-based settings, greater attention to workforce development is necessary.
The second attachment, entitled Efforts in States to Promote Medicaid CBS discusses how to strengthen the long-term service workforce through community based services. Read more!



