Advocacy Needed on Medicaid

ANCOR is calling on all its members to urge people to advocate ate the Federal level regarding Medicaid.  Below is a message from ANCOR, along with a link you can use to communicate with your congressional representatives.

http://capwiz.com/ancor/issues/alert/?alertid=51452501

Our Silence is Hurting Us - Speak Up Before It’s Too Late

Federal Medicaid funding is on the chopping block. The silence -- about the devastating effect these cuts will have on supports and services for individuals with disabilities -- is deafening.
Have you sent a message to your members of Congress and the President? Have you introduced individuals you support and Direct Support Professionals to them? Have you urged your staff, persons served, family members and community allies to also contact Congress and the President? We need every voice to speak out against Medicaid cuts. The White House has said they’re not hearing much dissent. Let them hear you now. (Send your message to the White House)


Here’s what ANCOR is doing to defend the Medicaid funding that is so vital to our members and the individuals they serve:

• ANCOR is taking a lead on a national level, working with other organizations to send a message to federal officials. But it’s not enough. You need to take action. We can’t just say we have broad support, we need to show it by getting as many people as possible to contact their elected officials.

• ANCOR was instrumental in developing this adhttp://www.ancor.org/sites/default/files/Medicaid%20Roll%...in Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper. Have you worked with your state and local media to let people know what Medicaid cuts will mean for individuals with disabilities?

• ANCOR is meeting with White House officials and members of Congress. Have you invited them or their staff to your organization? Have you made an appointment to talk to district and state staff? Have you called their Washington D.C. offices?

Congress and the President can’t hear you if you don’t speak out about the lives of the individuals you support, the lifeline Medicaid funding provides to over one quarter of individuals with disabilities, and the jobs your organization provides in your community.


Call. Write. Meet. Speak.


Take Action
Click on the Take Action button and send the message at the bottom of the alert to your Members of Congress. You MUST personalize the letter. There are several spots where you need to add personal information. These letters are only worth as much effort as you put into them.  Again, please share this link with your staff, persons served, family members, volunteers, donors, and other allies. We need to demonstrate broad support for defending Medicaid funding.




Don't forget the White House--send a message now!
If you prefer to make phone calls click here for more information.

Where Did KHPA Go?

Warning! There is an excessive use of acronyms in the following sentence:  As of July 1, 2011, Kansas Health Policy Authority (KHPA) transitioned into the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) as the Division of Health Care Finance (HCF).  This transition is the result of an Executive Order of the Governor during the legislative session.

So, if you need to find out more about about Kansas Medicaid programs you can visit their new website: www.kdheks.gov/hcf/

If you are interested in learning more about WORK or Working Healthy programs, you can still find them at www.workinghealthy.org

Medicaid Reform Public Forum: Update and Website

Over the last few weeks, the administration of Governor Sam Brownback has completed three public forums in communities across the state, focused on Medicaid reform.  In addition, the "Medicaid Reform Working Group" has created a web page where citizens can provide input by completing a form.  According to the website, feedback responses and reform ideas gathered from the forums in Topeka, Wichita and Dodge City will be posted on the site once they are all compiled.

For more details on the Medicaid Reform Public Forum and/or to submit your thoughts, visit:

http://kdheks.gov/hcf/medicaid_reform_forum/

400 discuss how to reform Medicaid in Kansas

Read the full article written by Fred Mann, The Wichita Eagle

http://www.kansas.com/2011/07/07/1924595/500-discuss-how-to-reform-medicaid.html

Emphasizing home health care, personal responsibility for health, and early intervention in disease and drug abuse were among the many ideas floated at a public forum in Wichita on Thursday to reform the state's Medicaid system.

Nearly 400 people spent three hours in roundtable discussions at the Holiday Inn Wichita, 549 S. Rock Road, hashing out ways to lower costs and improve the system. "We're committed to a transformation process," Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, a surgeon, said. "Everything is on the table." Colyer is leading forums around the state as a prelude to tackling Medicaid's accelerating costs. The program provides health care for the poor, elderly and disabled and serves about 340,000 in Kansas. Spending on Medicaid in Kansas has increased an average of 7.5 percent annually over the past decade, and that is expected to grow as baby boomers age into the system. The state could face a $900 million deficit by 2016 without changes in the program, said Robert Moser, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Colyer said legislation will come out of the discussions, as well as administrative steps.  He said the state will see major changes in the system over time, including an effort to look at ways to treat patients holistically.  The problem's too big to fix all at once, but we're going to make big strides — emphasis on 'big' — this year," he said.

The challenge

The first Medicaid meeting was in Topeka on June 22. Another will be held in Dodge City today, and plans are under way for one in the Kansas City area in August. "Our challenge is improve health care outcomes and control costs," Moser said. Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, said during a break that he is skeptical that Gov. Sam Brownback can reduce costs and improve the quality of health care after already making cuts in home and community health care services, the Senior Care Act and mental health services. "He has said in meetings he plans to cut $200 million to $400 million" from the state's Medicaid system, Ward said. Wade Horn, of Deloitte Consulting, a former assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said Medicaid, which is funded by state and federal governments, has grown from $1 billion in expenditures in 1966 to more than $400 billion in 2010. Other states are exploring ideas such as reducing the need to enroll people in the program by moving them into jobs where they can use employer-sponsored health care, reducing or eliminating benefits, reducing the unit cost of services, and improving the program's integrity, Horn said. Some states are cutting payments to Medicaid providers, like doctors and hospitals. Brownback said Wednesday that he is not ruling out cutting payments to health care providers, but that he is still waiting to see what comes out of Colyer's meetings.

'Long waiting lists'

Participants at the forum in Wichita included officials from state and local health care organizations, state lawmakers and members of the public.

 Read more

KHI News Service Article: "Governor says he hopes clients are spared with coming Medicaid cuts"

Read the full article written by Mike Shields, KHI News Service on July 6, 2011.

"TOPEKA — Gov. Sam Brownback today said his administration will try to protect services to Medicaid beneficiaries even while making cuts in the program's spending.

"The end objective is to not cut any clients who are receiving Medicaid support," Brownback said while flanked by members of his cabinet at a press conference called to describe what his administration has done during its first six months. "That's what we want to try to protect is the people who need Medicaid support. That's the real ones we're trying to protect as much as possible."

Dr. Robert Moser, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health Environment, said the administration's goal is to curb Medicaid's costs while at the same time improving "health outcomes" for the program's beneficiaries.

"Better outcomes at lower cost"

"We truly believe there are probably some efficiencies and program designs that we should be implementing that can deliver better health outcomes at lower cost and that really is our goal going forward," Moser said, but noting that the efficiencies, "have to be impactful."

Meanwhile, none of the assembled officials would say there won't be future cuts in reimbursements to Medicaid providers.

Some top ranking officials at the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services recently sent emails to some agency contractors warning of a pending 2.5 percent cut in their Medicaid reimbursements. Those cut apparently haven't happened yet, but neither Brownback nor SRS Secretary Rob Siedlecki when asked directly about the cuts ruled out the possibility they are coming.

Both men said they were awaiting the conclusion of a series of public forums being staged by administration officials as they develop a plan for restructuring the Medicaid program." 

 Read More

Swimming Upstream is Gaining Momentum!

Swimming Upstream: Strategic Communication in Challenging Political Climates is getting closer to its goal of bringing a variety of human service professionals to the table to discuss strategic communication to counter growing negativity and ambivalence toward human services.  Currently we have a variety of professionals registered to attend - but we still need more!

This unique training is an opportunity to unite our issues against an increasingly uniform political movement that says 'funding cuts are inevitable...human service providers must do more with less...and resistance is futile'.  Not only will this training give participants the opportunity to hear from and learn from their human service counterparts, it is led by one of the country's leading expert in public relations.  Mike Swenson is President and Founder of Barkley PR and Cause for Barkely.  He is a nationally-recognized and respected leader in the PR field and is well known for his passion for 'Cause' marketing.  He will guide Swimming Upstream participants through critical discussions and offer powerful solutions for strengthening the voice of human services!

Do not miss this critical opportunity!  Join us...


July 21, 2011
9:30am - 4:30am
Crowne Plaza
Lenexa, Kansas.


Swimming Upstream: www.swimmingupstream.eventbrite.com

Family Employment Awareness Trainings

Families Together, Inc. will host "Family Employment Awareness Training" in a variety of communities around the state throughout the summer and fall. FEAT is a two-part training where participants will learn about national and state policy supporting employment of persons with disabilities as well as the role family members and parents can play in supporting employment.  In addition, participants will learn about on-the-job support resources as well as benefits, programs, funding services and organizations related to employment.

Below is a schedule for interested families and individuals with developmental disabilities:

Wichita:
Part 1: Aug. 6
Part 2: Sept. 9

Hays:
Part 1: Sept. 10
Part 2: Sept. 24

Salina:
Part 1: Oct. 21
Part 2: Oct. 22

Overland Park:
Part 1: Nov. 11
Part 2: Nov. 12


More details: www.familiestogetherinc.org

KHI News Service Article: "Budget cuts lead to fewer children admitted for psychiatric treatment"

The following article was written by Dave Ranney for KHI News Service on June 7, 2011

Read the full article & supporting documents:  http://www.khi.org/news/2011/jun/07/budget-cuts-lead-fewer-children-admitted-psychiatr/

"Budget cuts lead to fewer children admitted for psychiatric treatment

Bug cost savings sought by state may vanish, according to some

TOPEKA — As a result of state budget cuts, there has been a quick and dramatic drop in the number of children admitted to Kansas psychiatric treatment facilities.

The state Medicaid program works with 18 psychiatric residential treatment facilities, which mental health professionals call PRTFs for short.

"All about money"

“In a three-month time period, the PRTF census has dropped by 30 to 50 percent,” said Trish Bryant, vice president for family preservation, foster care homes, and residential services at St. Francis Community Services in Salina. “My q

As the mental health centers were being told they needed to spend less, SRS officials were raising concerns that the PRTFs were being used too much, that children were staying in them longer than necessary and that many of the PRTFs’ services should be available through the mental health centers at less cost.

“The over-utilization concerns have been around for the past year or so,” said Mike Hammond, executive director at the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas.

“What’s different now is that Kansas Health Solutions has been asked to begin slowing the growth in Medicaid spending on mental health. The goal is to slow the growth by 6 percent,” he said.

Kansas Health Solutions is governed by a 15-member board. Eight of the board's members represent or work for a community mental health center.

Some PRTF officials said the drop in referrals is entirely about the budget cuts, regardless what state officials might say about over-utilization concerns. And a recent study commissioned by SRS revealed little evidence that the treatment centers were over utilized, though it did raise the concern about readmissions due to inadequate initial stays and coaching of parents in how to deal with their children upon release.

“Let’s make no mistake, this is all about money,” Rathbun said. “And if the goal is to cut spending by 6 percent, why is the census down 30 to 50 percent?"

Hammond said SRS asked Kansas Health Solutions and the mental health centers to look for various ways to cut spending, including referring fewer children to PRTFs, fewer adults to the state hospitals, and cutting back on outpatient services.

Right service, right time, right amount, right provider

"There will be a renewed effort..."

Read more