Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

Lawmakers: KanCare for developmentally disabled or $4 million cut

Excerpt from: Kansas City Star (click for full article)

 

Kansas lawmakers moved forcefully Thursday toward placing the developmentally disabled in the state’s new managed-care program.

Without the shift, a key committee threatened, it would cut millions aimed at reducing waiting times to get services.

Critics charged that such a move pits the disabled against the disabled.

“I was shocked,” said Republican state Rep. Barbara Bollier of Mission Hills.

It’s as if, she said, lawmakers are saying, “If you get this, we’re going to take away from you here. You get to pick.”

The developmentally disabled now receiving services through Medicaid must shift from Medicaid to KanCare, the House Appropriations Committee voted. If not, the committee decided, $4 million will be cut from efforts to speed up waiting times for thousands with developmental disabilities to receive care.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/05/09/4228029/lawmakers-kancare-for-developmentally.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/05/09/4228029/lawmakers-kancare-for-developmentally.html#storylink=cpy

Saving a Client From Long-Term Care Limbo

Excerpt from: Wall Street Journal (click for full article)

 

Although the couple's long-term care insurance would cover three years of care, the husband was likely to live longer than that, and the woman feared that the combination of her living expenses and his future medical bills would decimate their $750,000 in retirement savings.

The woman was terrified by the time she was referred to Helen Stephens, principal at Helen Stephens Group in Fort Worth, Texas, a firm she started just over a year ago where she provides insurance, tax planning and manages $10 million in assets for 30 clients. Ms. Stephens knew that if she didn't help her client, "she could have easily reached a point where she didn't have enough money to survive."

The client had fallen into long-term care limbo: She had too many assets to qualify for government medical programs, but wasn't wealthy enough to pay for extended long-term care. Many people in this situation are forced to spend nearly all of their assets in order to receive benefits. But in this case, Ms. Stephens saw a way to help her client's husband qualify for Veterans Administration and Medicaid benefits while preserving the couple's retirement savings.

Mental Health Services for ASDs

Excerpt from: Making Special Education Actually Work (click for full article)

 

Rendering effective mental health services to students in special education who have ASDs and need mental health services in order to benefit from their IEPs can be done cost-effectively. It requires that the right combination of expertise and skill assembled for each student’s treatment team. It also requires well-designed mental and behavioral health treatment plans that include detailed descriptions of how the skills taught in therapy will be generalized to natural settings such as the classroom, playground, cafeteria, or school bus. The treatment team would need to function like a well-oiled machine, each complementing the work of the other.

The savings to society of doing it right would far exceed the costs of delivering a successful program. More importantly, there are just some aspects of independence upon which no dollar value can be placed. To be supported in becoming as independent as possible by one’s fellow citizens affords some of our most compromised citizens access to their Constitutional liberties, and that’s something of which one can be proud to be a part.

Disability Characteristics of Income-Based Government Assistance Recipients in the United States: 2011

Excerpt from: Census.gov (click for full article)

 

Since the Great Depression of the 1930s, federal and state governments have been involved with lessening the consequences of economic hardship through various assistance programs. These programs have delivered relief through cash and/or in-kind assistance. These social assistance programs have relied, at least in part, on an individual’s or family’s income or other economic means to determine who may qualify for benefits, hence the term income-based assistance.1 Understanding the characteristics of people that receive assistance may help governments coordinate and administer these programs better.

The Great Switch to Paperless Benefits

Excerpt from: AARP (click for full article)

 

Uncle Sam doesn't mean to nag. But for nearly three years he has asked beneficiaries of Social Security, Veterans Affairs and other government programs to sign up by March 1, 2013, to get their monthly benefits electronically instead of by paper check.

However, several million retirees and other recipients still haven't made the switch. If you're among them, you'll still collect your monthly benefit by check. But until you sign up to have your benefit deposited directly into a bank account or credit union account — or loaded onto a prepaid debit card, such as the government's Direct Express or a privately issued card that meets requirements for loading government benefits — expect stern warnings.

"No one's payment will be interrupted," says Treasury Department official Walt Henderson. But recipients who haven't made the switch "will hear from Treasury via mail about their options for complying with the law."

Collecting payments electronically minimizes the risk for identity theft because there are no checks to be stolen from a mailbox. With benefits on a prepaid card, you can get cash withdrawals at a bank or make purchases.

Group expresses concern in CMH cuts

Excerpt from: Three Rivers Commercial News (click for full article)

 

Concerns about loss of opportunities to attend the St. Joseph County Co-Op program in Sturgis brought about 15 Co-Op participants to the February meeting of the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services board of directors.

The meeting was unofficial as there was no quorum, however, several of the Co-Op members and guardians of Co-Op participants addressed the board.

Guardians Ruby Wells and her husband Herb expressed frustration that for some Co-Op members the number of days of attendance had been reduced by one or two days per week.

CMH clients reiterate concerns of pending cuts

Excerpt from: Publicus (click for full article)

Patti's comment: How insulting is the comment: “I am powerless”- her staff at her direction have directed these cuts she can and should stop them immediately.

 

At issue is concern about the impact CMH’s potential 25 percent cut would have on adults with developmental disabilities.

People who spoke Tuesday reiterated concerns raised last month, when they stated their hours for activities, co-op employment opportunities other services are being reduced.

Those affected by the potential cuts have an option to file an appeal, a course of action taken by 28 people. Appeals are fielded by an administrative tribunal of independent judges. The panel examines a client’s situation on a case-by-case basis and determines if an individual client’s service reduction is justified.

Because appeals are on hold, clients are maintaining services at their previous level and will remain in place until the appeal process concludes.

Liz O’Dell, executive director of CMHSAS, acknowledged the concerns. She reminded them, however, that result of the appeals is not in her hands.

“This isn’t resolved locally,” O’Dell said. “Until the hearings happen, we are in a state of quandary … it’s (a decision) with an administrative judge.”

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS -- Your Medicaid Care And Coverage In A Nursing Facility

Excerpt from: Michigan.gov (click for full article)

 

What’s Inside
Your rights and responsibilities as a nursing home resident are important. You should understand what services you are entitled to. This booklet explains your rights, responsibilities, and the services you should receive. It also gives answers to often asked questions.

Automobiles and Adaptive Equipment for Disabled Veterans and Servicemembers

Excerpt from: Benefits.gov (click for full article)

 

Program Description

The Veterans Administration (VA) provides a one-time payment to disabled Veterans of no more than $18,900 toward the purchase of an automobile or other transportation. Additionally, the VA will pay for adaptive equipment, or for repair, replacement, and reinstallation of automobile equipment required because of disability. Payments for adaptive equipment may be made multiple times during the Veteran's life.

Your Next Steps

The following information will lead you to the next steps to apply for this benefit.

Application Process

To complete an application, use VA Form 21-4502, "Application for Automobile or Other Conveyance and Adaptive Equipment." The instructions on the VA Form 21-4502 contain a list of adaptive equipment that has been pre-approved for particular disabilities. You can download the form at:
http://www.va.gov/vaforms/

For more specific information, visit:
http://www.vba.va.gov/VBA/benefits/factsheets/

Program Contact Information

If you have questions:

• Visit https://iris.custhelp.com/ to search Frequently Asked Questions or ask a question on-line
• Call 1-800-827-1000
• Call 1-800-829-4833, if you are hearing impaired

Finding A Niche

Download Journal Article GT

Article about GT Independence, a company that helps people with limitations live a life of their choosing and receive services like Medicaid.