



First Published Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Hello,
Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee released its proposals for benefits
coverage in health care/LTSS reform. These proposals can be found here:
http://finance. senate.gov/ sitepages/ baucus.htm. I’m pleased to report that
on page 49 of the document (page 50 in the pdf), several positive proposals
around Long Term Services and Supports are included. This is a direct result
of the advocacy work of our community. They include eliminating
institutional level of care requirements for Medicaid Home and Community
Based Services (HCBS) waivers, prohibiting states from using waiting lists
to prevent eligible beneficiaries from accessing HCBS and increasing the
federal Medicaid match for HCBS by one percent.
coverage in health care/LTSS reform. These proposals can be found here:
http://finance. senate.gov/ sitepages/ baucus.htm. I’m pleased to report that
on page 49 of the document (page 50 in the pdf), several positive proposals
around Long Term Services and Supports are included. This is a direct result
of the advocacy work of our community. They include eliminating
institutional level of care requirements for Medicaid Home and Community
Based Services (HCBS) waivers, prohibiting states from using waiting lists
to prevent eligible beneficiaries from accessing HCBS and increasing the
federal Medicaid match for HCBS by one percent.
Although these changes are by no means comprehensive and we still need to
devote a lot more time and effort to both keeping this progress intact and
making more, I’d like to thank everyone who has utilized our advocacy
alert<http://www.change. org/autisticadvo cacy/actions/ view/pass_ the_community_ choice_act_ with_comprehensi ve_health_ care_reform>on
the inclusion of the Community Choice Act in Health Care Reform and
who
has sent it along to their friends. CCA is still not included in health care
reform, and more effort must go into ensuring that it will be. Nonetheless,
growing pressure is changing the political realities. We’ve gone from a
situation where the inclusion of Long Term Services and Supports in health
care reform was considered impossible to one where it is considered a real
possibility, if we devote the time, energy and attention into making it
happen. I encourage you all, as members of the Autistic and autism
communities, to continue to join us and the cross-disability advocacy
community in advocating around this essential issue.
devote a lot more time and effort to both keeping this progress intact and
making more, I’d like to thank everyone who has utilized our advocacy
alert<http://www.change. org/autisticadvo cacy/actions/ view/pass_ the_community_ choice_act_ with_comprehensi ve_health_ care_reform>on
the inclusion of the Community Choice Act in Health Care Reform and
who
has sent it along to their friends. CCA is still not included in health care
reform, and more effort must go into ensuring that it will be. Nonetheless,
growing pressure is changing the political realities. We’ve gone from a
situation where the inclusion of Long Term Services and Supports in health
care reform was considered impossible to one where it is considered a real
possibility, if we devote the time, energy and attention into making it
happen. I encourage you all, as members of the Autistic and autism
communities, to continue to join us and the cross-disability advocacy
community in advocating around this essential issue.
Please act now and encourage your friends, family and contacts to do the
same. Our advocacy alert can be found at:
http://www.change. org/autisticadvo cacy/actions/ view/pass_ the_community_ choice_act_ with_comprehensi ve_health_ care_reform
same. Our advocacy alert can be found at:
http://www.change. org/autisticadvo cacy/actions/ view/pass_ the_community_ choice_act_ with_comprehensi ve_health_ care_reform
Regards,
Ari Ne’eman
President
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
1660 L Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
http://www.autistic advocacy. org
732.763.5530
Ari Ne’eman
President
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
1660 L Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
http://www.autistic advocacy. org
732.763.5530
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Take a look at our innovative new Public Service Announcement produced with
the Dan Marino Foundation at http://www.nomyths. org
Take a look at our innovative new Public Service Announcement produced with
the Dan Marino Foundation at http://www.nomyths. org
If you like what we do, help support the Autistic Self Advocacy Network by
making a donation at:
https://www. change.org/ donation/ create?charity_ id=211198
making a donation at:
https://www. change.org/ donation/ create?charity_ id=211198
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