URGENT!! Medicaid Reform for DD Clients

[Guest guest]

I received this email today and it explains what the legislature is going to be pushing for. In a nutshell, they want to go with managed care or "HMOs" to serve the developmentally disabled population. The leadership is pushing for no carve outs, so that means they are going to be resistant to any group trying to be excluded from this reform. This is a continuation of what they were pushing for at the end of session in April. The brief video below gives a good explanation of what could happen if this change goes through.

You need to contact your legislator now. Don't wait until the session starts in March. It will be too late. If you care about your loved one's services through the Medicaid Waiver, don't wait. Read the information below and watch the 3 minute video and then take action. Do not expect everyone else to do it for you.

We need you, ALL OF YOU to be involved and to make calls, visit your legislator and to tell them that you don't want your child's or adult's services moved to an HMO, because the service level will reduced, the quality of services will be reduced, the level of care required for many of the individuals on the Medwaiver cannot be served by an HMO appropriately.

HI WSC'S. MY NAME IS MELISSA MAZAEDA. I'M A WSC IN SARASOTA. I AM NOT SURE HOW MANY OF YOU, YOUR FAMILIES AND CONSUMERS ARE AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON RE: THE PROPOSAL OF AN HMO TAKING OVER THIS PROGRAM AND ELIMINATING CERTAIN SERVICES - INCLUDING WSC. I HAVE BEEN SENDING OUT EMAILS TO OUR PROVIDERS, CONSUMERS AND FAMILIES RE: THIS FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW. TODAY I COMPILED THE EMAIL BELOW THAT CONTAINS PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE INFO IN ONE SPOT (RATHER THAN THE MULTIPLE EMAILS I HAVE SENT). PLEASE REVIEW IT AND PASS IT ON. PLEASE SPEAK TO YOUR FAMILIES, PROVIDERS, CONSUMERS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO CALL OR, PREFERABLY, MEET WITH THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND VOICE THEIR OPPOSITION TO THIS. THERE ARE OVER 31000 PEOPLE ON THE WAIVER RIGHT NOW. IF THE FAMILIES AND PROVIDERS WHO SERVE THESE PEOPLE ARE CONTACTING OUR REPRESENTATIVES, SEEING THEM / SPEAKING TO THEM - IT WOULD BE HARD TO IGNORE THAT MANY PEOPLE. PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO OTHER WSC'S IN OTHER DISTRICTS IF YOU HAVE THEIR CONTACT INFO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME - MELISSA

Hello again everyone. I have found a 3 1/2 minute video that a parent of a child with a disability narrated

about this HMO business that may be easier for some people to review and obtain the information from rather than trying to read all about it from my emails and on the websites that I've been sending links to. it is:

I know that I've been sending out a lot of emails re: this. As I'm getting them I've just been passing them along, but in this email I'm trying to compile all of the info that you need so you have it all in one place and do not need to check numerous emails.

Also, I know that I've been encouraging you to write letters, emails and make calls to representatives, but it was brought to my attention today that it would be much more powerful and much harder to ignore if people were to make appointments and visit their local representatives along with their loved one who has a disability - if you are able to. It's much easier for our elected officials to send some sort of generic response to a letter or email and have their secretary return a phone call saying they'll look into it, than if you're standing there in front of them.

I spoke to someone this morning who is very involved in this cause and he said that there is a very real chance that this is going to happen. Our new governor and incoming Senate president Senator Harridopolis, and incoming Speaker of the House Dean Cannon both favor the sale of developmental disability services to HMO's). Please contact their offices to voice your opposition to this.

If enough people stand up and fight against this then maybe it won't happen. If you have ever dealt with an HMO for your medical coverage then you know how frustrating it can be to try to get a service. The HMO's are not set up to advocate for person's with disabilities, they are set up to turn a profit.

Please do not think that this won't happen or that there are enough other people making calls, sending emails and visiting their representatives so you don't need to...we all need to be involved in this. These are people that we have elected, they work for the citizens of this state - including the most vulnerable citizens.

FL House of Representative = http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/

FL Senate = http://www.flsenate.gov/Welcome/index.cfm?CFID=102421443 & CFTOKEN=59979161

Governor of Florida = http://www.flgov.com/contact_governor

The organization who has been keeping us informed of these changes is Florida United for Choice. Their site is: http://www.floridaunitedforchoice.com/

Please pass this info along to anyone who may affected by these changes as well as people who will help out with contacting our elected officials.

Thank you for your time. Take care -

Mazaeda

Regards,

Ven Sequenzia

President

Autism Society of America

State of Florida Chapter