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2018 MARCH NY.Indd VOLUME 23 NUMBER 9 MARCH 2018 RICE CONFRONTED ININ THISTHIS ISSUEISSUE Education, Camps L.I. ADAPT’s First Action Hits Dem. Rep. & Recreation PAGES 9 THRU 12 Empower Care Act Legislation Would Extend ‘Money Follows the Person’ PAGE 2 Rice Helps Pass HR620 Advocate Mystified By Rice staffer, left, listens to ADAPT member demands. Rice staffer, left, listens to ADAPT member demands. Her Vote to Change ADA he newly-formed Long Is- PAGE 3 land Chapter of disabil- ity-rights activist group RAISE Passes T Bipartisan Caregiver ADAPT chose the ADA Educa- tion and Reform Act HR 620 and Bill Becomes Law the only New York Democrat to PAGE 4 vote for the bill, Rep. Kathleen Rice to target for their first ac- NYC Has ASL Service tion, Feb. 22. (See story “Rice Mayor Announces Video and House Limit ADA” page 3 Tech For Deaf and USA Today column page 6.) PAGE 5 Thirteen L.I. ADAPT mem- Sports bers entered Rice’s Garden City ADAPT members gathered in Rice’s conference room include Bruce Dar- office and demanded an expla- ling ADAPT organizer and CEO of Center for Disability Rights, left, L.I. Parks Update, Paralympics, nation of and a public recanting ADAPT co-founder Sophia Ardi, United Spinal’s Jose Hernandez, cen- Goalball & Basketball of her vote on HR 620 that they ter and co-founder Marie Hickey, standing second from right. They were PAGE 14 & 15 Continued on page 18 joined by United Spinal CEO James Weisman, third from left. VISIT ABLE’S WEBSITE ADAPT members video conference with D.C. office. Amanda Walsh, in doorway, promises meeting. WWW.ABLENEWS.COM Act Improves ‘Money Follows the Person’ ABLE NEWSPAPER he bipartisan Empower project was first authorized velopmental disabilities, men- P.O. Box 395, Old Bethpage, NY 11804 516 939-2253 FAX 516 939-0540 Care Act (S 2777), re- by the Deficit Reduction Act of tal illnesses and seniors. Since www.ablenews.com Tcently introduced in the 2005 and extended through fis- the program’s beginning, more Senate by Sens. Rob Portman cal year 2016 by the Affordable than 75,000 people have re- (R-Ohio) and Mariea Catwell Care Act (ACA). The MFP proj- ceived HCBS. According to the (D-Wash.), extends and im- ect has provided states with national project evaluation, proves upon Money Follows the enhanced funding to improve participants report significant Person (MFP). access to HCBS. and lasting improvements in First authorized by Pres. HCBS provides a wide ar- quality of life and community George W. Bush in 2005, also ray of supports that people can integration. In addition, the Published By with strong bipartisan sup- use throughout their lifetime, MFP project has helped real- Melmont Printing port, MFP served to help indi- such as housing and residen- ize more than $978 million in Publisher viduals with disabilities and tial services. Forty-three states reduced Medicaid and Medi- Angela Miele Melledy senior citizens out of nursing and the District of Columbia care costs by assisting states homes and other institutions. received funding through the to provide more cost-effective Editorial Assistant It enabled them to remain or project and used it to assist care. Allison Howe return to their communities Medicaid recipients to live in The MFP project was autho- NEW YORK ABLE NEWSPAPER - MARCH 2018 PAGE 2 - MARCH 2018 PAGE ABLE NEWSPAPER YORK NEW and their families. the community. rized through 2016 although Staff Writers If passed, the Empower Care Each state can decide how some states will be able to con- Beth Guarino (emerita) Act would extend MFP for five to utilize the funds, which they tinue to use their grant funds more years, as well as enhance have used to expand or en- through 2020. However, with- Columnists it. Individuals across the country hance HCBS programs, reduce out congressional reauthoriza- Disabled in Action waiting for home - and communi- waiting lists and fund housing tion, states will lose access to Edith Prentiss Anthony Trocchia ty-based services (HCBS) would supports. the enhanced funding which Task Force benefit from the reauthorization. The program benefits people helped them maintain better Assemblymember Didi Barrett The MFP demonstration with physical disabilities, de- services. United Spinal Association Report Says Home Care In Jeopardy Jim Weisman The financial state of the 8 percent from 2015 to 2016. cuts and other administra- Production Director New York homecare industry is Many homecare agencies rely tive actions targeting man- Debbie Simko getting worse, and the reforms heavily on the Medicaid fund- aged long-term care plans,” Art & Production Gov. Andrew Cuomo is propos- ing they get through MLTC said Joanne Cunningham, Jennifer Becker ing to the managed long-term plans. president of HCANYS. “That Ann Imbrogno care (MLTC) system would The governor’s executive will have a dire effect on the Marilyn Wheeler only exacerbate the situation, budget includes proposals to home- and community-based according to a report released cut managed long-term care sector’s ability to deliver care Technical Assistance by the Home Care Association plans’ administrative budgets, to a very needy and frail pop- Louis Melledy of New York state (HCANYS). limit the number of homecare ulation.” The average operating mar- agencies that can participate However, Rick Surpin, pres- Office Manager Fannie Miele (emerita) gin for certified home health in a plan’s network and raise ident of Independence Care System, an MLTC plan based agencies in New York dipped the requirements for patients Accounting to -13.46 percent in 2016 from to be eligible for services pro- in the Bronx, said it makes Margaret Wenzel 7.3 percent in 2015, the trade vided under managed long- sense for the state to concen- group found. The share of term care plans. trate its resources on the need- Advertising Rates agencies reporting negative “I would say we’re deeply iest patients. Furnished Upon Request margins 2016 grew to about concerned about the budget “If you don’t raise the bar, the program will just keep Postmaster: Send address changes to Able News at P.O. Box 395, Old Bethpage, N.Y. 11804. Period- on growing and growing. And icals are being paid for at Bethpage, N.Y. post of- I don’t think that’s sustain- fice. ©1994 ABLE NEWSPAPER. Able Newspaper is published monthly by Melmont Printing, 6 Robert able,” said Surpin. Court, Bethpage, N.Y. 11714. Able welcomes man- uscripts and suggestions for articles. However, to The report states that the assure safe return, manuscripts must be accompa- growing reliance and increased nied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. No re- sponsibility is assured for unsolicited manuscripts access to home care services or art. Submissions are the author’s warranty that the material is not an infringement of the rights have enabled patients to leave of others and that the material may be published without further approval. Editorial material does not the hospital earlier, avoid necessarily reflect the view of the editor/publisher nursing home placement, get of Able Newspaper. Advertisers are responsible for the content of advertisements. No part of this pub- rehabilitation and receive pri- lication may be reprinted without the permission of the publisher. Able is not responsible for errors mary care at the lowest cost in advertisements beyond the price of the space and most preferable setting occupied by the error. The publisher reserves the possible – the home of the pa- right to decline advertising for any reason. tient. However, chronic underpay- ment and unfunded mandates The Deadline For have resulted in a fragile fi- The April Issue Of nancial position for the home- Able Newspaper and community- provider sec- tor. Will Be March 13 PAGE 3 MARCH 2018 - NEW YORK ABLE NEWSPAPER YORK 3 MARCH 2018 - NEW PAGE Rice and House Limit ADA By David Block notice about the exact provision man. “I’m not going to deny that in which they live and work,” he House of Representa- of the ADA being violated. those lawyers and plaintiffs ex- said Suozzi’s spokesperson Lou tives passed HR620 with The business then has 60 ist, but it’s a small amount. The Wasson. Ta vote of 225 to 192 Feb. days to acknowledge the prob- bill won’t fix that practice of ex- Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-CD4) 15. lem and then 120 days to be- tortive complaints being filed.” remained a sponsor on the bill For the most part, this news gin to remedy the predicament He said that the difference now and voted for it even after being upset people living with disabil- before any lawsuits can take is that there would be a 6-month lobbied intensely by disability ities, as well as James Weisman, place. It means that the individ- delay before one can sue. advocates. Rice’s office did not President/CEO of The United ual with a disability has to wait Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-CD3) respond to repeated requests for Spinal Assoc., who says that if six months before he/she can was originally a sponsor of comment by Able Newspaper. the senate were to pass this bill, take legal action. No other civil HR620, but then decided to vote Weisman said that if the Sen- it can remove business owners’ rights law requires similar wait- against it when he realized it ate passes HR620, people should incentives to immediately make ing periods. would hurt people with disabil- take the Congress at their word their establishments ADA com- The bill came about because ities and start giving notice to busi- pliant. lawyers would frivolously sue “Rep. Suozzi fully supports ness owners who have inacces- This bill prohibits immediate businesses in serial fashion.
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