STATE NEWS Materials Need to Be Replaced, in Order to Reduce Costs
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Volume 15, Issue 4 - 2014 Communication from the Policy A Information Exchange Slice of Pie A Slice of Pie is an ongoing publication keeping our readers informed about important public policy issues. It is the mission of the Policy Information Exchange to educate and inform Pennsylvanians with disabilities, their families and advocates, and the general public, regarding public policy issues and to further the exchange of policy information between the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council and federal, state and local policy makers. The Policy Information Exchange is funded in part by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council. phased in as stationery, forms and other STATE NEWS materials need to be replaced, in order to reduce costs. The Department’s new web Department of Human Services address is www.dhs.state.pa.us. On November 24, 2014 the name of the Transition Department of Public Welfare (DPW) Governor-Elect Tom Wolf and Lieutenant changed to the Department of Human Governor-Elect Mike Stack will take office Services (DHS). The bill creating the on January 20. The Governor-Elect name change (HB 993) was signed by has announced that his Chief of Staff the Governor on September 24, 2014 and became Act 132 of 2014. Representative Tom Murt (R-Montgomery) was the bill’s In This Issue prime sponsor. It was supported by many individuals with disabilities, advocacy State News ..............................page 1 groups and service providers. The DHS National News .........................page 5 Secretary, Beverly Mackereth, noted that the new name more accurately Resources ...............................page 6 reflects what the Department provides. Contact PIE .............................page 7 The Department’s name change will be will be Katie McGinty, former Secretary CEO of the Allegheny Conference on of the Department of Environmental Community Development and served Protection. John Hanger, former head as secretary of the Pennsylvania of the environmental lobbying group Department of Community and PennFuture, will serve as as secretary of Economic Development from 2003 to policy and planning. Mary Isenhour, former 2008. executive director of the PA Democratic • Education (co-chairs)--Pedro Rivera Party, will be the Governor’s legislative is the superintendent of the School secretary. Obra “Obie” Kernodle IV has District of Lancaster. “Ski” Sygielski been appointed deputy chief of staff and became Harrisburg Community director of the public liaison’s office. He College’s seventh president in 2011. was Wolf’s political director and deputy • Health (co-chairs)--Dr. Rachel campaign manager. Levine is a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the Penn State College The Lieutenant Governor-Elect has of Medicine and vice chair for Clinical announced his intention to resign his Affairs in the Department of Pediatrics. Senate seat at some point in 2015 prior Dr. Karen Hacker is the director of the to the May primary to allow for a special Allegheny County Health Department election to coincide with the primary and a former executive director of the election. Institute for Community Health. • Housing--Tina Nixon has served as In mid-December, the Governor-Elect the chief executive officer of the YWCA announced the people responsible for of Greater Harrisburg since 2004. reviewing state agencies and working • Labor and Industry (co-chairs)- with the outgoing administration. They -Matthew Paules is the business include: manager and financial secretary of the International Brotherhood of Electrical • Aging--Everette James currently Workers Local 229 in York. Ron Klink serves as the director of the Health served four terms in the United States Policy Institute at the University of House of Representatives representing Pittsburgh and served as the secretary western Pennsylvania. of the Pennsylvania Department of • Human Services--Michael Rashid Health from 2008 to 2010. recently retired after serving as the • Drug and Alcohol Programs-- chief executive officer of AmeriHealth Bob Donchez is the mayor of the Caritas since 2010. City of Bethlehem and served on • Transportation (co-chairs)--Kathy Northampton County’s Drug and Dahlkemper took office as Erie Alcohol Commission. County executive on January 7, • Community and Economic 2014. Previously, Kathy served in Development (co-chairs)--Rob the U.S. House of Representatives. Wonderling is the president and CEO Eric Menzer currently serves as the of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber president and general manager of the of Commerce. Dennis Yablonsky is the York Revolution. Page 2 A Slice of Pie - Volume 15, Issue 4, 2014 Legislative Session Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman’s The State Senate and House have new chief counsel is Dave Thomas, who announced their schedules for the first six worked for several years as chief counsel months of the 2015-16 Session. January to Speaker of the House Sam Smith. 6 is swearing-in day. The actual work Drew Crompton, chief of staff for Senate begins on January 20 in both chambers. President Joe Scarnati, will now serve as Scarnati’s chief counsel, too. Diane Acri 2015 SENATE SESSION SCHEDULE will serve as deputy counsel to Corman. January 6, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 Healthy PA February 2, 3, 4, 23, 24, 25 Despite the election of Tom Wolf, who March 2, 3, 4 publicly opposed Governor Tom Corbett’s April 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 Healthy PA plan, the Department of May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 Human Services (DHS) continues to June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, move forward with Healthy PA. Healthy 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30 PA would give about 600,000 adults, mostly the working poor, access to private 2015 HOUSE SESSION SCHEDULE healthcare insurance starting January 1, 2015. On December 1, 2014, enrollment January 6. 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 began. The state has signed three year February 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 23, 24, 25 contracts with eight private insurers and March 2, 3, 4, 30, 31 invested in technical changes to computer April 1, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 systems and advertising for Healthy PA. May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 A spokesman for Governor-Elect Wolf, June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, who will be inaugurated on January 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 said the incoming governor still plans on expanding Medicaid and not moving Changes in State House leadership forward with Healthy PA. bring staff changes. Todd Brysiak will serve as chief of staff to the new Majority When Healthy PA takes effect on Leader, Representative Dave Reed. January 1, 2015, people with disabilities Tony Aliano, retiring House Speaker or chronic illnesses will be placed into a Sam Smith’s chief of staff, will be Reed’s “Healthy Plus” Medicaid insurance plan. general counsel. Marcia Lampman will Others will be assigned to the “Healthy” be director of legislative affairs for Reed, benefit package with reduced benefits serving as his floor manager and handling or “Healthy PA Private Coverage Option the voting calendar. Karen Coates will (PCO).” Letters outlining these changes be Speaker-designee Turzai’s chief of to Medicaid insurance benefits were sent staff. Dave Reddecliff will be director of out in late November to current Medicaid administration for the Speaker’s office. consumers. The DHS has drafted a benefit House Appropriations Committee staff will plan comparison chart that summarizes remain. the three Healthy PA benefit packages. The chart and additional information can A Slice of Pie - Volume 15, Issue 4, 2014 Page 3 be found under the “Consumer Resources” Balancing Incentive Program section of www.healthypa.com. The Department of Human Services continues to develop the details of the Changes to the benefit plans for current work plan to carry out the goals of the adult Medicaid recipients in the existing program to expand and improve its Medicaid program will be effective Home and Community-Based Services January 1, 2015. DHS has submitted in the Office of Long Term Living and Medicaid state plan amendments to the Office of Developmental Programs federal government to approve of these waivers. The Department held meetings changes. DHS plans to implement these across the state to get information and benefit packages prior to receiving federal suggestions on improving outreach, approval. enrollment, eligibility determination and assessment for individuals and their HCBS Final Rule families looking for services and supports. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid For more information, contact the BIP Services (CMS) Final Rule, known as Project Director, Leahann Moslak at the “Community Rule”, requires states to [email protected] . For information about review their Home and Community Based other states’ programs go to Services waivers regarding how services www.balancingincentiveprogram.org. are provided in community settings. Each state must develop Transition Plans for State Budget its waiver programs, using stakeholder At the state’s mid-year budget briefing, input, describing how it will comply. Budget Secretary Charles Zogby spoke about a $2 billion budget hole awaiting In June 2014, the Department of Human Governor-Elect Tom Wolf and the new Services (DHS) submitted a draft transition general assembly. The current year’s plan to CMS for the Aging, Attendant budget was balanced by using a number Care, and Independence Waivers. In of “one time fixes” that are no longer August 2014, CMS told DHS to submit a available. The new administration will revised Transition Plan with more detail present the proposed budget for 2015-16 on benchmarks and timeframes. DHS’s on March 3, 2015. revised transition plans are now available for public comment along with a transition ODP plan for the AIDS Waiver. Amendments The Office of Developmental Programs are proposed for these four waivers. has issued one new Bulletin in conjunction with the Department of Labor & Industry, Public comments were due to DHS by Office of Vocational Rehabilitation which Monday, December 29.