Take Action!
Help Ensure that SteppingStone Participants Continue to Have Access to the Care They Need.
No Gap in Care for ADHC!
On Thursday, 5/12, the State submitted the State Plan Amendment (SPA) to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to eliminate the Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) benefit. It was our hope that they would postpone this decision until the new ADHC KAFI ("Keeping Adults Free from Institutions") funded by Federal waiver would be put in place to avoid a gap in services, and as it is now, could prove to be a life and death decision for ADHC in California.
On Monday, 5/16, the Governor released the Budget May Revision and did not include any funding for the new ADHC KAFI and appropriated $25 million to only fund the transition of ADHC patients to "alternative" services.
Since the Legislature did not yet submit a budget to the Governor based on the March Conference Committee action, there is currently no authority or appropriation to fund the new ADHC KAFI in the new fiscal year. However, the Legislative leadership made a public promise in March to follow through on their intent to create a new ADHC program under KAFI. Now we must hold Legislators to it because the Governor clearly will not act to create a Federal waiver program without Legislative authority.
ACTION: The Legislature needs to push forward through AB 96 and SB 73 language that specifically authorizes or requires the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to apply for a waiver to the Federal government to create a new version of ADHC.
Together we must make sure they hold to their promise.
ACTION STEPS
Starting today, organize your families, colleagues and friends to communicate every day with your own members of the Legislature and the Legislative leadership (below) by phone or fax until their is a decision. We need to keep up the pressure and visibility on the consequences of ADHC elimination as a life and death decision affecting medically frail seniors' lives. There must be a clear path to a new ADHC Federal waiver under KAFI with NO GAP in CARE. This is a statewide issue, so inform your network of friends, family and colleagues throughout the state to participate in these two action steps.
THERE ARE TWO MESSAGES:
- Pass AB 96 immediately. Ask your Legislator to Support AB 96 by Assembly Member Blumenfield and SB 73 by Senator De Saulnier and ask if they will be a coauthor for both bills. We expect each bill to be amended, but cannot wait any longer. Good intentions are not enough. They hold seniors in their hands.
- Hold the Legislative leadership to the compromise made in March to support funding in the revised Budget for a redesigned ADHC KAFI program with NO GAP in CARE.
Background:
- The Budget Conference eliminated ADHC as an optional MediCal benefit in AB 97, the Health Trailer Bill, but as part of a compromise between the Assembly and Senate included intent language to create a redesigned program under a waiver (KAFI) with significantly less funding.
- Chairman Blumenfield and Senator Leno made a public promise to providers to hold on and not close their doors because there would be an orderly transition to a new program.
- However, we know of five centers that have already closed and people are being discharged to nursing homes, at much higher costs to the taxpayer.
- If the ADHC benefit is eliminated before the new waiver program and funding is authorized by the Legislature and approved by the Federal government, we will close our doors in your community and there will be a public health and safety crisis and outcry from seniors and families.
- Families, patients and providers are in turmoil and fear because we see no plan except complete elimination of ADHC services for 37,000 elderly and disabled adults with medically complex disabling conditions.
AREA CODE 916
| Senate Member | Mark Leno | D-San Francisco | Chair Senate Budget | Tel 651-4003 Fax 445-4722 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate Member | Bob Dutton | R-Inland Empire | Vice-Chair Senate Budget | Tel 651-4031 Fax 327-2272 |
| Assembly Member | Bob Blumenfield | D-Van Nuys | Chair Assembly Budget | Tel 319-2040 Fax 319-2140 |
| Assembly Member | Jim Nielson | R-Gerber | Vice-Chair Senate Budget | Tel 319-2002 Fax 319-2102 |
| Senate Leadership | Darrell Steinberg | D-Sacramento | Tel 651-4006 Fax 323-2263 |
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| Senate Leadership | Senator Bob Dutton | R-Inland Empire | Tel 651-4031 Fax 327-2272 |
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| Assembly Leadership | John Perez | D-Los Angeles | Tel 319-2046 Fax 319-2146 |
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| Assembly Leadership | Assembly Member Connie Conway | R-Tulare | Tel 319-2034 Fax 319-2134 |
Governor: 916-445-2841 Fax: 916-558-3160
And, please contact your Legislative Assembly Member and Senate Member to vote in support of AB 96 and SB 73.
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