FW: APD Press Release on start date of Tiers!

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APD Press Release on start date of Tiers!

Importance: High

For Immediate Release: Contact:

August 20, 2008 Mowry Etters

Communication Director

Agency Prepares to Implement Waiver Tiers

TALLAHASSEE - The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD)

will implement the legislatively-mandated Medicaid waiver tiers on

October 1. Earlier this month, a challenge to APD's authority to

implement the required changes to the Medicaid waiver was resolved.

The challenge delayed the agency's implementation from the original

July 1 date. Now the agency is moving forward with notifying APD

customers and their waiver support coordinators of the new start

date.

Letters will be mailed within the week to notify each customer of

the

waiver for which they qualify.

In 2007, the Florida Legislature required APD to create four

new

Medicaid developmental disability waivers called tiers. The

Legislature established criteria for each of the four waiver tiers.

The criteria cover the individual's needed level of service, along

with other important characteristics, and the person's current

living

situation. The new tier system establishes financial limits for

three

of the tiers.

Tier One No cap

Tier Two Cap of $55,000

Tier Three Cap of $35,000

Tier Four Cap of $14,792

Director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities Jim

DeBeaugrine said, " Most people will not see any service reductions

when the new tiers begin on October 1. However, for those who will

need to reduce services, we understand this may be a difficult

time.

We urge them to immediately contact their waiver support

coordinator

to begin the process. Those individuals will need additional

support

from the agency, their families, and the community to make

adjustments. "

Those APD customers affected by a cap will select the

services

that are most important to them, then work with their waiver

support

coordinator to update their service plan by September 10.

The agency annually serves about 35,000 Floridians with

developmental disabilities of mental retardation, autism, cerebral

palsy, spina bifida, and Prader-Willi syndrome. For more

information

on the agency, call 1-866-APD-CARES or visit www.apd.myflorida.com.

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REMINDER FOR MEDIA---When reporting on stories about people with

disabilities, remember to use language that puts the person

first,

rather than the disability. For example, use phrases such as

" persons with disabilities " (instead of " the disabled " ) and

" person

who uses a wheelchair " (rather than " wheelchair bound " ).

* * *

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