CDCAN REPORT #043-2011: Several events today Feb 16th

Several Events Today Focusing on State Budget

• 1:00 PM: Senate Budget Committee Hearing on Medi-Cal and Healthy Families
• 1:00 to 2:00 PM: Conference Call for LA County IHSS Recipients
• 6:00 to 8:00 PM: Budget Forum for Sonoma County Residents in Petaluma by Area 4 Board on Developmental Disabilities

SACRAMENTO, CALIF  (CDCAN) [Updated 02/16/2011 – 08:50 AM  (Pacific Time)] –   Several events in addition to critically important  Senate and Assembly budget committee hearings this week, are scheduled today and through the week of interest to people with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind, seniors and community organizations, facilities, workers and others. 

TODAY!- FEBRUARY 16, 2011 – WEDNESDAY
SENATE BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE
01:00 PM – State Capitol – Room 4203
Budget Items On Agenda:

• Medi-Cal and Healthy Families
• Resources
• Transportation
• General Government

PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN: No – all these issues were previously heard with public testimony taken

AGENDA
MEDI-CAL/HEALTHY FAMLIES

Department of Health Care Services (Budget Item 4260)

1. Medi-Cal Provider Payment Reduction
2. Intermediate Care Facilties for the Developmentally Disabled
3. Nursing Home Level B (AB 1629 Facilities)
4. Additional General Fund Savings
5. Hard Cap: 10 Visits for Physicians and Clinics
6. Mandatory Copayments for Physician and Clinic Visits
7. Hard Cap: Six Prescription Outpatient Drugs
8. Mandatory Copayments for Pharmacy
9. Mandatory Copayments for Hospital Services
10. Mandatory Copayments for Dental Services
11. Elimination of Over-the-Counter Cough & Cold
12. Limit Enteral Nutrition Products for Adults
13. Establishes Maximum Annual Dollar Limit for Durable Medical Equipment
14. Establishes Maximum Annual Dollar Limit for Durable Medical Supplies 
15. Establishes Maximum Annual Dollar Limit for Hearing Aid Expenditures
16. Proposition 10 Funds for Medi-Cal for Children
17. Trailer Bill Language: Medi-Cal Rates for Lanterman Managed Care Clients
18. Trailer Bill Language: Medi-Cal Eligibility Processing by Counties
19. Trailer Bill Language: 250% Working Disabled Program Change.

Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (Budget Item 4280)

1. Proposed Increases to Monthly Premiums for Children Enrolled in Healthy Families Program
2. Conforming Issue to Medi-Cal: Mandatory Copayments for Hospital Services
3. Elimination of Vision Coverage

Other Agenda items (detail not listed in this CDCAN Report)

• RESOURCES - (several items)
• TRANSPORTATION - (3 items)
• GENERAL GOVERNMENT - (3 items)

CDCAN COMMENT: Adult Day Health Care Medi-Cal issue is NOT on the agenda for this hearing – but could be on this committee’s agenda either for Thursday or Friday. 

PRIORITY: EXTREMELY HIGH

TODAY! – FEBRUARY 16, 2011 – WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
IN-HOME SUPORTIVE SERVICES (IHSS) CONFERENCE CALL FOR IHSS RECIPIENTS – LOS ANGELES COUNTY
TIME: 01:00 to 02:00 PM
WHO: Organized/Sponsored by: Personal Assistance Council of LA (PASLA) – which is the name of the IHSS Public Authority for Los Angeles County
TOLL FREE PHONE NUMBER: 1-866-885-0409
PASSCODE: 565591

AGENDA:

• Conference call is meant to be the first of a series of on-going local LA conference calls for IHSS recipients in the county focusing on issues and concerns important to them. 
• Today’s conference call is being moderated by Marty Omoto, director of CDCAN – California Disability Community Action Network, with staff from the Personal Assistance Services Council on hand to answer questions.
• No agenda released, but the IHSS Public Authority of Los Angeles (known at the Personal Assistance Services Council) released a flyer about the conference call urging IHSS recipients in the LA County area to “join the Personal Assistance Services Council (PASC) for a teleconference on Governor Brown’s proposed cuts and changes to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program including: a reduction of IHSS service hours by 8.4%; the elimination of IHSS hours for domestic and related services; the establishment of a new IHSS eligibility certification requirement; the elimination of funding for IHSS county advisory committees; and proposed reductions to other programs important to people who also receive services under IHSS including SSI/SSP grants, MSSP (Multipurpose Senior Services Program), regional center community-based services, Medi-Cal including Adult Day Health Care services.   
• For additional information visit the Los Angeles County  (IHSS) Personal Assistance Services Council  website at www.pascla.org, or call at 877-565-4477.

TODAY! – FEBRUARY 16, 2011 – WEDNESDAY EVENING
BUDGET FORUM – ON PROPOSED SPENDING CUTS AND CHANGES TO SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
TIME: 06:00 to 08:00 PM
WHO: Organized/Sponsored by: Area 4 Board – Office of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities
WHERE: Petaluma Community Center, 320 McDowell Blvd – North, Petaluma, CA 

AGENDA:

06:00 PM – Welcome and Opening Comments – Laura Mefford, Chair – Area 4 Board

06:05 PM – Panel Presentation on Proposing Funding and Service Cuts – Bob Hamilton (Executive Director, North Bay Regional Center), Stan Higgins (Executive Director, Oaks of Hebron); Mike Humphrey (Manager, In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority – Sonoma County); Marty Omoto (Director, CDCAN – California Disability Community Action Network); Mark Polit (Policy Consultant – SEIU)

07:15 PM – Public Comment to Legislator’s Staff Representatives – Angela Colombo (Field Representative – Assemblymember Jared Huffman); Sean Hamlin (Field Representative – Assemblymember Michael Allen); Carole S. Mills (District Representative – State Sen. Mark Leno); Gail A. Moss (Executive Secretary/Caseworker – Assemblymember Wes Chesbro); and Ed Sheffield (District Director – State Sen. Noreen Evans)

08:00 PM – Adjourn

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE: People with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind,, seniors, their families, community-based organizations, facilities, workers who provide supports and services, regional center and local government agencies and other advocates in the Sonoma County area.

FEBRUARY 17, 2011 – THURSDAY
SENATE BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE
09:00 AM – State Capitol – Room 4203
Budget Items On Agenda:

• Human Services - including Office of Systems Integration (OSI); Department of Social Services (DSS) that includes In-Home Supportive Services, SSI/SSP; Department of Child Support Services (DCSS); and California Department of Aging (CDA) that could include the Multipurpose Senior Services Program or MSSP budget item.
• Other Health Programs (could include regional centers and other developmental services and other remaining “open” health budget items)
• Public Safety budget items
• Higher Education budget items (includes community colleges)

PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN: No – all these issues were previously heard with public testimony taken
CDCAN COMMENT:  Senate Budget Committee staff says the bulk of human services budget items still “open” will be part of the hearing on February 17 (Thursday).  The hearing dealing with “realignment” (shifting State programs to the counties) proposals for Child Welfare Services, Adoptions Assistance Programs, Drug Medi-Cal and Adult Protective Services is part of the hearing agenda for Friday (February 18th)
PRIORITY: EXTREMELY HIGH

FEBRUARY 18, 2011 – FRIDAY      ****UPDATED***
SENATE BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE
09:30 AM (or whenever the State Senate floor session, which convenes at 09:00 AM on Friday, adjourns – which is expected to be around 09:30 AM)
State Capitol – Room 4203
Budget Items On Agenda:

• Revenues
• Redevelopment budget items
• Realignment budget issues (includes certain mental health related community-based services)
• Education – K-12 budget items
• And other remaining “open” budget items

PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN: No – all these issues were previously heard with public testimony taken
CDCAN COMMENT:  While the main focus of this hearing is non-health and human service budget items, the agenda could include health and human services budget items that the Senate committee does not take action on Wednesday or Thursday.
PRIORITY: EXTREMELY HIGH

FEBRUARY 18, 2011 – FRIDAY
ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE
Meets Upon Adjournment of Assembly Floor session – which could be anywhere from 09:30 AM to about 10:00 AM
State Capitol – Room 4202
Budget Items On Agenda:

• ALL “open” budget items proposed by the Governor including health (Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, regional centers and other developmental services), human services (In-Home Supportive Services, CalWORKS, SSI/SSP, Child Welfare Services, etc), education, realignment, revenues, etc.

Public Testimony Taken: No – all these issues were previously heard with public testimony taken
PRIORITY: EXTREMELY HIGH