URGENT! URGENT! Action Alert 3

[Guest guest]

VERY IMPORTANT!!! Please read below and contact the legislators listed immediately. This will be devistating if allowed to pass as is. I am not sure what the Senate is thinking or if they realize they just keep cutting to the point where people will be left with no other option, but to put their child or adult with a disability in an insitution. We cannot allow these cuts to pass.

Look at this quote by Senator Wise in an article about shifting Federal Medicaid dollars.

“People pay attention to schools, and parents vote,†said Sen. Steve Wise, R-ville, chairman of the Senate’s K-12 budget committee. “If you’re running statewide, you want to do right by schools.â€

This means they may shift a large amount of the Federal money away from the Medwaiver and to schools.

Many of our children and adults with disabilities cannot vote, BUT YOU CAN. Remember to tell that to the staff or legislator you speak to. They do not think we are a threat. They think they can keep taking away services and nothing will happen. Please prove them wrong. It is time to step up and call, write or visit them at the Capitol.

Regards,

Ven Sequenzia

President

Autism Society of America

State of Florida Chapter

Action Alert 3

Action Alert 3 – Appropriations

By Kingsley Ross

The Senate Chairman of the Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee recommended drastic reductions in Home and Community Based Waiver services Thursday. He also recommended severe cuts in the Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled (ICF/DD) Program. These recommendations will be finalized during the week of March 15th. There is an opportunity to restore the cuts if an enhanced federal match becomes available through pending Congressional action.

Background: On Thursday March 11, the Senate Appropriations committee that oversees the budget for services to people with developmental disabilities (DD) reviewed the chairman’s (Sen. Durell Peaden) recommendations for budget cuts.

Senate HHS Cuts for people with DD

$ Amount (in Millions)

1. Cap services in Tier 1 to $120,000

6.3

2. Eliminate behavior assistance services in standard & behaviorally focused group homes

2.0

Reduce provider rates by 10%

70.1

Reduce caps for Tiers 2,3, & 4 by 10%

11.2

Reduce ICF/DD rates by 7%

13.9

If not restored, these cuts will result in drastic reductions in services available to consumers. They will affect everyone that the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) serves through its Medicaid waivers as well as everyone served in the ICF/DD program administered through the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). By adding a cap to Tier 1 and reducing the caps on the remaining Tiers, the recommendations make a very bad Tier system worse.

They also threaten the entire provider network supporting individuals with disabilities. Many providers will have to stop providing some services and others may go out of business altogether.

There is a possible solution. Congress is about to pass an enhanced federal Medicaid match (called FMAP) that will give Florida additional revenue which could be used to restore the recommended cuts to services for people with disabilities. However, there is no guarantee that the Florida Legislators will use it for this purpose. Legislators have the option to use the FMAP dollars for different needs, despite the fact it is earned by providing services to people like those with DD.

The House will be releasing its recommendations over the next several days and cuts are also likely to be recommended

Action Needed

Contact your own Senator plus those listed below and tell them (in your own words) why the cuts recommended by the Senate will be devastating. Thank legislators for helping us in the past and ask legislators to restore the cuts and to use the enhanced Medicaid match when Congress makes it available.

..

Senators – Health & Human Services Appropriations Committee

First Name

Last Name

District City

District Phone

Tallahassee Phone

Email Address

Don

Gaetz

Destin

gaetz.don.web@...

Mike

Haridopolos

Melbourne

haridopolos.mike.web@...

Joe

Negron

Palm City

negron.joe.web@...

Durell

Peaden, Jr.

Crestview

peaden.durell.web@...

Nan

Rich

Sunrise

rich.nan.web@...

Eleanor

Sobel

Hollywood

sobel.eleanor.web@...

Senate Leaders

First Name

Last Name

Position

District City

District Phone

Local Phone

Email Address

JD

Ways & Means Chair

Lake Wales

alexander.jd.web@...

Jeff

Atwater

President

N Palm Beach

atwater.jeff.web@...

de la Portilla

Maj. Leader

Miami

portilla.alex.web@...

Mike

Fasano

President Pro Tem

New Port Richey

fasano.mike.web@...

Arthenia

Joyner

Minority Whip

Tampa

joyner.arthenia.web@...

Alfred 'Al'

Lawson Jr.

Minority Leader

Tallahassee

lawson.alfred.web@...