HHS Approves Connecticut Plan to Allow Individuals with Disabilities to Direct Own Care

[Guest guest]

From Medical News Today 20 Jan 2005

HHS Approves Connecticut Plan to Allow Individuals with Disabilities to Direct

Own Care

HHS Secretary Tommy G today approved a Connecticut demonstration plan

to make it easier for individuals with disabilities to remain in their own homes

by giving them greater control over a broad array of Medicaid services.

The Connecticut waiver is the 10th program to be approved under HHS' new

Independence Plus initiative, which makes it easier for consumers to retain more

control of home and community-based services.

" This Connecticut plan will allow people to play an essential role in deciding

how to plan, obtain and sustain community-based services for themselves, "

Secretary said. " We committed to giving states greater flexibility in

designing programs like this one to help persons with disabilities live fuller,

more independent lives. "

The waiver will provide services that include personal care, supported

employment, group day services, vehicle modification, transportation,

specialized medical equipment, companion services and family training.

Participating individuals will be able to select and direct their personal

assistants as well as manage many other services for themselves. The state hopes

to serve over 3,000 people in this demonstration.

" Allowing persons with disabilities to engage in 'self-direction' is a high

priority for the Bush Administration and this agency, " said Mark B. McClellan,

M.D., PhD., administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the

agency that oversees federal health insurance programs. " Self-direction is a

proven approach to higher beneficiary satisfaction for the same or lower costs. "

As former governors, President Bush and Secretary have made it a

priority to make it simpler for the states to submit Medicaid and State

Children's Health Insurance Program waiver requests and to initiate new programs

such as Independence Plus. Since January 2001, HHS has approved waivers and plan

amendments that have expanded eligibility to more than 2.6 million people and

enhanced benefits for more than six million people.

----------

No virus found in this outgoing message.

Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.

Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.6.12 - Release Date: 01/14/2005