Letter from Dr. Clayman...Medicaid/HMO

[Guest guest]

From A. Clayman, MDDear Parents, Siblings, Friends and Caretakers of Persons with Developmental Disabilities:I have just returned from Tallahassee, speaking to several legislators and their aides. Our loved ones with developmental disabilities are literally in harms way with the coming drastic budget cuts and proposals for moving all of Medicaid into HMO plans. These actions will decimate the Agency for Persons with Disabilities and will likely eliminate the support coordinators who diligently work to get services for the disabled. It is tragic that Governor and House Speak Cannon appear relentless in their pursuit of budget balancing without seriously considering the ramifications of these actions on the lives of Florida’s weakest and most defenseless citizens. It is imperative that we take action now. Representative Schenck, Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee, has been given the task by and support of the leadership to slash and burn the budgets supporting the developmentally disabled and to push through legislation that will force Medicaid services to be administered through managed care organizations or HMO’s.There are representatives who strongly support our position, but individually they fear challenging HHS Committee Chair Schenck and Speaker Cannon. However, if we can show massive disapproval of the above legislative intent, those representatives supporting our loved ones can safely form a coalition and oppose the desires of the leadership.WE MUST TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW. PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH, PLACE THE EMAIL LIST IN THE ADDRESS LINE, AND SEND YOUR BULK EMAIL TO TALLAHASSEE TODAY.Dear Speaker Cannon and Representative Schenck:We, the parents, siblings, friends and caretakers of persons with developmental disabilities adamantly oppose your efforts to drastically cut funding for the weakest and most defenseless citizens of our Great State of Florida. Serious cuts in funding for the Developmentally Disabled have already been implemented last year. It is unconscionable to again slash funding and force our disabled children, siblings and clients to suffer further by reducing desperately needed services. We do understand the serious budget shortfalls coming to the State of Florida, but we cannot understand nor do we condone the callous approach you are considering to balance the budget. We, the parents, siblings, friends and caretakers of persons with developmental disabilities adamantly oppose your efforts to deliver services to our weakest and most defenseless citizens through managed care organizations that are not designed for nor capable of meeting the needs of individuals with complex medical and social problems. The recent managed care test models in Broward and Duval counties have been utter failures in delivering care and in saving any funds whatsoever. It is befuddling that you propose to take a failed model from the local level to the entire state. We most strongly urge you not to place the Developmentally Disabled receiving state funding and services into any type of managed care structure.Sincerely,(Your Name)(Your Florida Address with zip code)(Your Phone Number or email). (email list for non aol.com users)Dean.Cannon@...; .Schenck@...; Matt.hudson@...: .roberson@...; mark.pafford@...; .chestnut@...; .corcoran@...; Janet.cruz@...; .davis@...; .diaz@...; .frishe@...; Gayle.harrell@...; .randolph@...; Elaine.schwartz@...; .steube@...; .wood@...; Dana.young@...; negron.joe.web@...; rich.nan.web@...; gaetz.don.web@...; garcia.rene.web@...; oelrich.steve.web@...; richter.garrett.web@...; sobel.eleanor.web@...;(email list for aol.com users)Dean.Cannon@..., .Schenck@..., Matt.hudson@..., .roberson@..., mark.pafford@..., .chestnut@..., .corcoran@..., Janet.cruz@..., .davis@..., .diaz@..., .frishe@..., Gayle.harrell@..., .randolph@..., Elaine.schwartz@..., .steube@..., .wood@..., Dana.young@..., negron.joe.web@..., rich.nan.web@..., gaetz.don.web@..., garcia.rene.web@..., oelrich.steve.web@..., richter.garrett.web@..., sobel.eleanor.web@...,