Two days of KanCare Oversight Meetings

The Legislative Coordinating Council has scheduled 37 meeting days to cover a variety of topics during an interim legislative session.  The KanCare Oversight Committee, at the suggestion of the council's Democratic members, will meet for two of those days. Exact dates have yet to be announced.

Legislative Post Audit Committee Votes to Audit CDDOs

Earlier this week the joint Legislative Post Audit committee voted to audit the network of Community Developmental Disability Organizations (CDDOs) to assess the potential presence of conflict of interest. CDDOs serve as gatekeepers to the Kansas DD System.  They are non-profit or county-operated organizations that determine eligibility, assess an individual's needs and inform the individual of service options.  CDDOs are contracted by the State with oversight from the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).

KanCare & Employment discussed at forum

Topeka Capitol Journal: July 20, 2013

Public comment sessions this week: Long-term I/DD and KanCare

Save the Date: Power Up! 2013

Mark your calendars for Power Up! The 2013 InterHab Annual Conference.  Power Up! is  a 3-day event designed to inspire, educate and empower disability professionals.  This event features engaging keynote sessions and a large variety of small 'learning labs' designed to give professionals the tools and information they need to best serve individuals with disabilities.

Do you have an interest in serving as an exhibitor or sponsor at the InterHab Annual Conference?  Would you like to share a presentation to help disability professionals?  If so, please contact Erin Roberts: eroberts@interhab.org

The Latest News on KanCare

June 7th - KHI News Service
State Officials Submit first quarterly KanCare report to feds

June 3rd - KHI News Service
Payroll agents for the disabled on Medicaid say they are struggling

Legislators adopt budget: carve-out not included

The story is long, but it can be summed up simply: The issues of KanCare and IDD services were among the most strongly debated and contested items of the 2012 and 2013 sessions, but on Saturday night, in the closing hours of the 2013 legislative session, we did not prevail.  Unless the Governor and the Administration for some reason change their direction, the IDD system will become a part of the KanCare managed care program effective January 1, 2014.

Advocacy among persons-served, their families, and their community service providers was tireless and courageous, and for nearly 17 months IDD advocates held off the managed care carve-in advocates, the Administration, the insurance industry, the elected leaders of both houses, the chairs of both budget committees and so on.

Up until the last half of the last day of the session, the outcome was in doubt, but in the end, the Administration’s influence outlasted the exhausted Legislature, and our supporters in the Legislature could not prevent the passage of the final budget bill of the session – the conference committee report on SB 171 – which did NOT include the carve- out of IDD services from KanCare.

In a vote later Saturday night, which was somewhat anticlimactic, the Senate also adopted the report.

Much credit is owed to those legislators who stuck with us in both houses and in both parties.  Special thanks to Representatives Becker, Henry, Lusk, Rubin and Ward.  Thank you also to those who provided powerful commentary on the House floor such as Representatives Ballard, Bideau, Hibbard, Rubin and Ward.

And much credit is owed to all of you who made tireless efforts to voice your concerns to educate your elected leaders and to advocate with great heart and tenacity on behalf of Kansans with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

There, of course, is still much work to be done.  We know we can rely on powerful advocates like to you to continue all efforts to support Kansans with I/DD in leading indpendent and fulfilling lives.