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

New law seen as way to increase independence for those with disabilities

Excerpt from LJ World: (click for entire article)

Gov. Sam Brownback on Tuesday signed into law a bill that is designed to provide an incentive for businesses to hire Kansans with disabilities.

Brownback called House Bill 2453 a “breakthrough.”

He added, “It really does move people to where they want to go — to a job — and uses the means of the state to do this.”

Disability Insurance: Five Options for Getting Life Insurance When You’re Disabled

xcerpt from News LI: (click for entire article)

One of the biggest challenges in becoming disabled is to think about things you used to take for granted. You might have put off buying more life insurance until “later.” But now that you’re disabled, you fear that you could be uninsurable. According to the SSA (Social Security Administration), “Understanding the Benefits”, to have a comfortable retirement, Americans need much more than just Social Security. A lot may depend upon the nature of your disability as well as your ability to pay. There are several types of life insurance, and one may still be right for you, even when disabled.

    Traditional whole life – Whole life policies build up a cash value. They are relatively expensive, and usually require a medical examination to qualify.
    Term life – Term life policies are significantly cheaper, and expire at the end of a fixed term, usually about ten (10) years. However, many of these are guaranteed renewable, even if you have developed a significant disability since the original policy was written. If you already have a term life policy–even if it expires in the near future–check into whether or not the policy is renewable. 
    Guaranteed acceptance – Guaranteed policies usually have low payouts and comparatively high premiums.
    Disability insurance - Finally, some insurers are offering special needs policies which actually target specific conditions, such as diabetes. You can also expect high premiums with this type of policy.

Historic rate of veterans seek disability

Excerpt from PilotOnline.com: (click for entire article)

America's newest veterans are filing for disability benefits at a historic rate, claiming to be the most medically and mentally troubled generation of former troops the nation has ever seen.

A staggering 45 percent of the 1.6 million veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now seeking compensation for injuries they say are service-related. That is more than double the estimate of 21 percent who filed such claims after the Gulf War in the early 1990s, top government officials said.

What's more, these new veterans are claiming eight to nine ailments on average, and the most recent ones over the past year are claiming 11 to 14. Vietnam veterans are currently receiving compensation for fewer than four, on average, and those from World War II and Korea, just two.

Medical decision-making after a traumatic brain injury

Excerpt from HHS.gov: (click for entire article)

People who’ve had traumatic brain injury might not be thinking straight but still may have to make crucial medical decisions.

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham tested 86 TBI patients’ ability to understand medical options, decide on treatments, and appreciate consequences of their choices.

One month after injury, patients with moderate or severe TBI – and some with mild TBI – still had impaired decision making skills. 

Q&A with former Medicare and Medicaid chief Donald Berwick

Excerpt from Public Health Newswire: (click for entire article)

Four months after the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, Donald Berwick took the reins of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. During 17 months at the agency’s helm, he oversaw numerous improvements to Medicare, including the expansion of preventive screening services and changes to prescription drug benefits. Now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, Berwick, MD, MPP, will be the keynote speaker at the opening session of APHA’s Midyear Meeting in Charlotte, N.C., on June 26.

As budgets and workforces shrink, everyone in the health system is being asked to take on more duties. Is it possible for public health professionals to adapt to this new workload while also increasing their quality, efficiency and effectiveness, and if so, how?

Public health, like all production systems, has processes (through) which it gets its work done. Those processes can be continually improved using modern methods of quality management and process improvement. I think that public health professionals are very badly needed in the health care system of the future. We need the energy to really devote to the improvement of health status in the population but it may require of public health professionals, as it will require all other professionals, to rethink how they do their work so they can experience more efficiency and more satisfaction in their achievements. Improvement of work involves a level of openness and receptivity to very new ideas, ideas that could at first be uncomfortable. The challenge (for) public health professionals, as it is for all others, is to be willing to embrace change in the traditional approaches to the way they get their work done.

New Cigarette Tax Will Help Fill Illinois’ Medicaid Hole

Excerpt from CBS St. Louis: (click for entire article)

Illinois House approved $1.6 billion in Medicaid cuts and a new $1 per pack cigarette tax increase Friday that lawmakers say will help plug one of the nation’s biggest budget hole.

The dollar-per-pack increase will apply to cigarettes and a few other smoking devices, but not cigars or chewing tobacco. It’s expected to bring in $350 million which the feds will match dollar for dollar. It also changes hospital assessments statewide, which will bring in 50 million matchable dollars. The state’s looking to give hospitals a break on their property taxes through this bill as well, with tax breaks coming to those who provide a certain amount of charity care to the poor.

“$800 million to finish filling the gap for the Medicaid budget in the state of Illinois,” said State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), the bill’s sponsor.

Protecting Medicaid–A Lifeline for Millions of People with Disabilities

Excerpt from NSCIA: (click for entire article)

Medicaid will be a big item on the agenda when United Spinal Association and NSCIA chapter leaders meet with policymakers during our Roll on Capitol Hill event in Washington, DC on June 25-26.

Roll on Capitol Hill is United Spinal’s annual legislative advocacy event that addresses issues that will directly impact the health, independence and quality of life of individuals living with spinal cord injuries or disorders. And protecting against cuts to Medicaid is definitely one of them!

Cms Announces Partnership To Improve Dementia Care In Nursing Homes

Excerpt from The Paramus Post: (click for entire article)

Today, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner announced the Partnership to Improve Dementia Care, an initiative to ensure appropriate care and use of antipsychotic medications for nursing home patients. This partnership – among federal and state partners, nursing homes and other providers, advocacy groups and caregivers – has set a national goal of reducing use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing home residents by 15 percent by the end of 2012.

Unnecessary antipsychotic drug use is a significant challenge in ensuring appropriate dementia care. CMS data show that in 2010 more than 17 percent of nursing home patients had daily doses exceeding recommended levels.

“We want our loved ones with dementia to receive the best care and the highest quality of life possible,” said Tavenner. “We are partnering with nursing homes, advocates, and others to improve the quality of care these individuals receive in nursing homes. As part of this effort, our partnership has set an ambitious goal of reducing use of antipsychotics in nursing homes by 15 percent by the end of this year.”

DSM Committee Takes Heat Over ‘Mental Retardation’ Update

Excerpt from Disability Scoop: (click for entire article)

As experts behind a forthcoming update of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders look to revise psychiatry’s definition of “mental retardation” their efforts are becoming unexpectedly contentious.

Under a draft that’s currently open for public comment, experts working with the American Psychiatric Association are proposing that the name of the diagnosis be changed to “intellectual developmental disorder.”

What’s more, they’re looking to give more discretion to clinicians by putting less emphasis on IQ. While people qualifying for the diagnosis would still be required to score at least two standard deviations below average on such assessments, there would no longer be a bright-line IQ requirement of 70 or under.

Campaign for Disability Employment announces 'What can YOU do?' video contest winners

Excerpt from U.S. Politics Today: (click for entire article)

The Campaign for Disability Employment, a collaborative of leading disability and business organizations funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, has selected the winning videos in the 2012 "What can YOU do?" video contest. This nationwide contest challenged filmmakers to produce disability employment awareness videos that reflect the diversity of skills people with disabilities offer, challenge common misconceptions about disability employment and reinforce the CDE's core message that, at work, it's what people CAN do that matters.

The 2012 "What can YOU do?" video contest winners were selected in three categories:  employer, youth and general public. Judging was based on originality, content, reflection of campaign themes and categories, production value, impact and accessibility. Winning videos now will be used in support of the campaign's national effort to increase the employment of people with disabilities.

In the employer category, Adam Dylewski of Washington, D.C., and the Chemists with Disabilities Committee of the American Chemical Society were recognized for their video, "Chemists with Disabilities: We All Can."  The video, which features chemists with disabilities sharing the value and talent they bring to their industry, demonstrates ACS' leadership on the issue of disability employment and the benefits of fostering a work culture welcoming of the talents of all individuals, including workers with disabilities.