Home Care Bills Receive Senate Hearing, Raise Hope for

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April 5, 2004For Information Contact:Gwen Gillenwater, 703/ 525-3406, ext. 25National Council on Independent LivingBob Kafka 512/431-4085For pictures and additional information go to http://www.adapt.orgHome Care Bills Receive Senate Hearing, Raise Hope for No More Stolen LivesWashington, D.C.--- End Institutional Bias- No More Stolen Lives! is thetheme for the April 7 Senate Finance Committee hearing on two bills thatwould allow persons with disabilities and older Americans to receive longterm services in their own homes rather than be forced into nursing homesand institutions. Both bills have bi-partisan support and would reversethe Medicaid institutional bias that mandates states pay for nursing homecare, but does not provide for similar care in a persons own home andcommunity."We've been waiting 8 months for this hearing," said Mike Oxford,President of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Board, andADAPT Organizer from Topeka, Kansas. "And this is the fourth time in tenyears that MiCASSA has been introduced in an effort to finally do awaywith the Medicaid institutional bias. While Congress has dragged its feetthese past ten years, thousands of people have had their lives stolen bybeing forced to enter or remain in institutional settings."The two bills being heard on April 7 include S.971, the MedicaidCommunity-based Attendant Services and Supports Act (MiCASSA), and S.1394, the Money Follows the Person Act (MFPA). Both bills would altercurrent Medicaid regulations that mandate that states pay for nursing homecare, but not for the same services in someones own home. In addition theFinance Committee will hear testimony on the Bush Administration's draftlegislation New Freedom Initiative Medicaid Demonstration Act, whichincludes a Money Follow the Person section as well as other communityservice initiatives.S.971, MiCASSA, allows persons with disabilities and older persons tochoose to remain in their own homes with Medicaid paying for theircommunity based services and supports. It also provides a financialincentive to cash strapped states that implement MiCASSA soon afterenactment. S. 971 was introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), andco-sponsored by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) and 15 other Senators. ItsHouse companion bill, H.R. 2032 was introduced by Rep. Danny (D-IL)and Rep. Shimkus (R-IL) and has 95 co-sponsors. S. 971 and H.R. 2032have the support of nearly 700 organizationsS. 1394, MFPA, also introduced by Sen. Harkin establishes a demonstrationproject under the Medicaid program to encourage the provision of communitybased services to persons with disabilities.Bruce Darling, the Executive Director of the Center for Disability Rightsin Rochester, New York, will be testifying for ADAPT. People from all overthe country have let me know they are coming to Washington for thishearing, said Darling. I am aware of several organizations, including myown, that are chartering buses to accommodate the numbers of people whowant to be part of this historic hearing. There will be a press eventimmediately following the hearing, where individual and organizationalspeakers will urge the Bush Administration and Congress to join with us insupporting a national Community First long term care policy, and to make2004 the year that marks the long needed end of the institutional bias inMedicaid.###FOR MORE INFORMATION on ADAPT visit our website at http://www.adapt.org/