By Michelle Diament
April 13, 2010

Disability Scoop

Arizona offers the best Medicaid services for people with developmental disabilities while Mississippi comes in dead last in an annual ranking of the states released Tuesday.

In addition to Arizona, the states coming out on top in the analysis from United Cerebral Palsy are Vermont, New Hampshire, Washington and California. Meanwhile, the lowest performing jurisdictions are Washington, DC, Illinois, Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi. (Find out where your state stands >>)

Much like in previous years, the best performing states included those of all population sizes, varying levels of wealth and those with differing tax structures. Further, successful states exhibited differing levels of per person spending on Medicaid home and community-based services waivers.

Notably, Washington state jumped from a rank of 25 in 2009to a fourth place ranking this year, largely due to better reporting. Meanwhile, Alaska declined from third place to rank 27 after state estimates of the number of people living in the community were replaced with actual numbers.

Success in the ranking known as the “Case for Inclusion” is largely based on a state’s strides toward serving individuals in the community. On that front, the report finds that the number of states where over 80 percent of individuals are supported in home-like settings continues to rise, reaching 22.

Nonetheless, waiting lists continue to grow - they increased 56 percent between 2005 to 2008 - and the 2010 report finds that state spending on housing people in large institutions remains steady.

The analysis is culled from the most recently available data, much of which is from 2008. With that in mind, the report authors note that the landscape could presently be altered due to the recession and subsequent stimulus dollars states received.

WE NEED PEOPLE TO SHOW UP Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 1:30pm FOR House Bill 1152, Civil Rights for Persons with Disabilities but if you are coming you may want to confirm. Go to (more…)

Home Health Care Providers have already taken a 4.5% rate reduction and may take another 1% rate reduction July 1, 2010.

Home Health Reductions -

• $30.8M – 2% reduction July 1, 2009
• $19.6M - 1.5% reduction September 1, 2009
• $  8.3M – 1% reduction December 1, 2009
• Proposed: $22.8M – 1% reduction July 1, 2010

HCPF’s budget request is recommending another decrease of $202.8M general fund for the 2010/11 budget.

HB10-1324 reduces nursing homes per diem rates by 1.5% effective March 1, 2010 and only through June 30, 2011.  No other Medicaid provider has an end date on their rate reduction.

The current statue allows for Nursing Homes to receive automatic increases.  This amendment levels the playing field for all Medicaid providers on the continuum of long-term care by allowing HCPF, JBC, and the legislature in the long bill to set all provider rates.

It is hard to understand why Nursing Homes, which are continuing to provide services to fewer patients every year, will continue to receive special treatment.

All Long Term Care providers have a place along the continuum, but none is more important than any other. Please help us choose home for all Coloradans.

SUPPORT HOME HEALTH CARE AMENDMENT TO HB10-1324

Our legislation section has been updated with information regarding the following bills:

• Bill HB10-1005 - NOT ON CALENDAR
• Bill HB10-1029 - NOT ON CALENDAR
• Bill HB10-1041 - NOT ON CALENDAR
• Bill HB10-1061 - NOT ON CALENDAR
• Bill HB10-1122 - NOT ON CALENDAR
• Bill SB10-002 - NOT ON CALENDAR

A Community-Based Alternative To Nursing Homes And Institutions For People With Disabilities.  For decades, people with disabilities, both old and young, have wanted alternatives to nursing homes and other institutions when they need long term services. Our long term care system has a heavy institutional bias. Every state that receives Medicaid MUST provide nursing home services, but community based services are optional. Sixty seven (67%) percent of Medicaid long term care dollars pay for institutional services, while the remaining thirty three (33%) must cover all the community based waivers, optional programs, etc. (more…)

People with disabilities suffer some of the worst human rights violations, but a groundbreaking U.N. treaty that entered into force last year provides a road map to improve this situation, the world body’s top rights official said Friday.UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay stressed that universal ratification and effective implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will help achieve this goal, as she addressed the Geneva‑based Human Rights Council’s annual interactive debate on the issue. (more…)

What are the warning signs of serious illness? When should I seek emergency medical care?  If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Fast breathing or trouble breathing
* Bluish or gray skin color
* Not drinking enough fluids
* Severe or persistent vomiting
* Not waking up or not interacting
* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include: (more…)

In 2005, the federal government’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) directed that changes occur in Colorado waiver service programs for people with developmental disabilities Statewide new requirements for individuals in comprehensive (24- hour) services took place January 1, 2009. These were largely unnoticed by families as most revisions affected service agencies and internal DDRC case management and accounting processes. (more…)

A warm, welcoming environment where residents are free to make choices regarding their care: That’s the new vision of the ideal nursing home, according to a guidance issued Friday by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/aging/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100240732

In the 10 years since the Olmstead decision, the need for states to provide in-home services to people with disabilities has run head-on into the struggling U.S. economy.

http://www.newmobility.com/newsDetailIE.cfm#article11442