Contact your state representatives now to assure increased funding for DD in the State Budget!
ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!
The Ohio Senate revealed its substitute version of the 2016-2017 budget (HB 64) yesterday, June 9. In a somewhat paradoxical move the Senate further confirmed its intent to fully fund the DD budget as introduced while at the same time making additional cuts to our Medicaid Services Line item (significant cuts were made across the Medicaid system not just to us).
In a press conference held Monday the Senate President talked about the Senate changes to the budget and commented specifically about the Senate’s desire to restore DD funding. If you would like to watch the press conference, you may do so by clicking here: http://www.ohiochannel.org/MediaLibrary/Media.aspx?fileId=146674 (at 23:15 is where Senate President Keith Faber talks about “assuring DD gets fixed”).
Listed below are provisions that most directly impact OPRA Members (“Developmental Disabilities Provisions”)
- Modifies the proposed increases in Medicaid rates for homemaker/personal care services to 3% each fiscal year with both increases being based on rates as of June 2015
- Maintains the current law with regards to the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities. Deletes the House provision on the rights of persons with IDD, including the right of someone to live in a small or large ICF
- Keeps the DC Closure Commission, but changes the timeline for the commission to provide its report to not later than 90 days, rather than 30 days. Also, requires that one member of the commission be a family member of a resident of a DC
- Changed the age from 18 to 21 y/o, to continue to live with more than one roommate with family consent
- Maintains ICF grand bargain as passed by the House
- Maintains the House provision that seemingly ignores federal law and mandates the continuation of sheltered employment and provider capacity in sheltered employment
- If a valid concern of insufficient resources arises in the Department of Developmental Disabilities, allows the OBM director to certify that a shortfall exists and allow for the transfer of resources from the Department of Medicaid to DODD to meet all critical needs
- Maintains House provisions for $8M and $12M to county boards for maintenance of waivers and as replacement for TPP being phased out
- Increases the Autism and Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program maximum scholarship amount to $27,000
- Deletes a House provision for $500k to Childhood League Center in Franklin County for PLAY (autism services and training) expansion; earmarks $8,500 each year for the Preble County Board DD for same
- Earmarks $175,000 each year to establish Best Buddies Ohio state chapter
- Prohibits a county DD board from reducing or terminating a service included in someone’s “individualized service plan” if the individual’s eligibility and need for that service has been upheld at least twice through the Medicaid appeals process
- Restores the Executive budget version of language on verification systems for home care service contractors
Medicaid Provisions
- Requires Medicaid managed care organizations to implement value-based payment strategies and that at least 50% of these payments are value-based by July 1, 2020
- Requires the Department of Medicaid, not later than July 1, 2016, to implement strategies to improve the integrity of the Medicaid managed care system
- Required the Department of Medicaid to establish a Medicaid waiver program under which certain Medicaid recipients, instead of participating in fee-for-service or managed care, must enroll in innovative and value-based health coverage that is modeled on the health savings accounts and uses premiums, copayments, or both
- Removes language that would have suspended a Medicaid provider agreement or Medicaid provider payments to entire entities on the basis of one individual’s indictment on fraud
- Maintains House’s removal of the administration’s independent provider provision and requirement for resolution of independent provider issue by December 31, 2015
Behavioral Healthcare Provisions
Eliminates provisions in the current law that excludes alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services from the Medicaid managed care system. Requires the Department of Medicaid to begin inclusion of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services into managed care not later than January 1, 2018
Housing Provisions
50% of Ohio Housing Trust Fund is retained by the county, to be used by the discretion of the county, possibly for housing
Aging and ODM Waivers Provisions
- Senate reduces the proposal to increase the rate paid for nursing services by a home health aide under an HCBS waiver program from 10% to 5%
- Removed in House and Senate, the authority for direct care to administer prescribed meds, perform specific health-related activities and perform tube feedings
What can you do to help?
Contact Senate Leadership and the Senate Finance Committee members by phone or by e-mail today, tomorrow or no later than Friday! Use the contact list below.
Mail or email Senate Leadership and Senate Finance Committee Members with the following:
“We ask the Senate to restore the cuts to the DD direct care rate increase and fully fund the developmental disabilities budget as the Administration introduced in the Omnibus Amendment”
It’s that simple. Do it now (if you are agreeable) and do it with as many calls or emails as you can.
For any and all questions, call Jeff Davis (mobile: 614-579-9957) or email him (jdavis@opra.org).
Thank you for your interest and help!
OHIO SENATE MEMBERS
Senate President Keith Faber
1 Capitol Square, 2nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-7584
faber@ohiosenate.gov
President Pro Tempore Chris Widener
1 Capitol Square, 1st Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-3780
widener@ohiosenate.gov
Majority Floor Leader Tom Patton
1 Capitol Square, 1st Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-8056
patton@ohiosenate.gov
Majority Whip Larry Obhof
1 Capitol Square, 2nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-7505
obhof@ohiosenate.gov
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Senator Scott Oelslager, Chairman
1 Capitol Square, 1st Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-0626
oelslager@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Bill Coley, Vice Chair
1 Capitol Square, 1st Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-8072
coley@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Michael Skindell, Ranking Minority Member
1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-5123
skindell@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Bill Beagle
1 Capitol Square, 1st Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-6247
beagle@ohiosenate.gov
Senator David Burke (also Chair of Medicaid Committee)
1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-8049
burke@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Randy Gardner
1 Capitol Square, 2nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-8060
gardner@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Lou Gentile
1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-6508
gentile@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Jim Hughes
1 Capitol Square, 1st Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-5981
hughes@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Frank LaRose
1 Capitol Square, 2nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-4823
larose@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Bob Peterson
1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-8156
peterson@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Tom Sawyer
1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-7041
sawyer@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Charleta Tavares
1 Capitol Square, 2nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-5131
tavares@ohiosenate.gov
MEDICAID COMMITTEE
Senator Gayle Manning, Vice Chair
1 Capitol Square, 1st Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 644-7613
manning@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Capri Cafaro
1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-7182
cafaro@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Shannon Jones
1 Capitol Square, 2nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-9737
jones@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Kris Jordan
1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-8086
jordan@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Peggy Lehner
1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-4538
lehner@ohiosenate.gov
Senator Sandra Williams
1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-4857
williams@ohiosenate.gov