Health
CDCAN Report #152-2010: Breaking News - U.S. House of Representatives Approve Medicaid Funding Extension (FMAP) - Bill Heads to President Obama - Passes 247 to 161
Tue, 2010-08-10 14:48 — chrisUS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APPROVE TEMPORARY MEDICAID FUNDING EXTENSION
Federal Bill Heads Now To President Obama – Medicaid Funding Increase (FMAP) Extension Has Major Impact On California’s Budget Shortfall
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 08/10/2010 12:21 PM (Pacific Time)] - The US House of Representatives, breaking for one day from its summer recess, returned to Washington, DC and gave final approval to the legislation that will provide $16.1 billion to partially extend for six months into 2011, the temporary increase in Medicaid matching funds to the states, including California - – though on a “phased down” approach that gives significantly less money to the states. The bill passed out of the House by a vote of 247 to 161 with 25 members not voting.
The bill, HR 1586, was approved after about 1 hour of debate, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying the bill was vital in protecting the jobs of health care providers, teachers, firefighter – and to provide vital funding to help states stabilize their budgets.
CDCAN Report #149-2010: U.S. Senate Passes Extension of Temporary Medicaid Funding (FMAP) Increase & Education Funding - Bill goes to U.S. House Next Week
Thu, 2010-08-05 18:38 — chris- US SENATE APPROVES EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY INCREASE IN MEDICAID FUNDING TO THE STATES (FMAP) BY VOTE OF 61 to 39 – BILL HEADS TO US HOUSE
- Bill Would Extend Temporary Increase in Medicaid Matching Funds to the States Including California for 6 Months in 2011 – Funding Will Be Less Than Hoped For – US House Expected To Approve Bill Next Week
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 08/05/2010 11:44 AM (Pacific Time)] - The US Senate passed today the $26.1 billion bill that would partially extend the temporary increase in Medicaid matching funds to the states including California. The vote for final passage was 61 to 39, with only two US Senate Republicans – US Senators Olympia Snow and Susan Collins, both from Maine – supporting the measure. That Medicaid funding to the states (matched by state funding) is sometimes referred to as “FMAP” - the “Federal Medical Assistance Percentages” , which is used in determining the amount of Federal matching funds that a state is eligible.
The bill, HR 1586 as amended, heads to the US House of Representatives next week. The US House of Representatives will be returning briefly from its summer recess, to approve the bill, either on Monday or Tuesday.
CDCAN Report #148-2010: Budget Conference Committee Rejects Governor's Proposal to Suspend AB 3632 Mental Health Special Education Mandate - Votes to Repeal July 1, 2011 Special Disability Adjustment State Mandate
Thu, 2010-08-05 18:14 — chrisBUDGET CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REJECTS GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL TO SUSPEND AB 3632 MENTAL HEALTH SPECIAL EDUCATION MANDATE IN LATE NIGHT MEETING
Agrees to $52 Million Cut to Department of Mental Health for AB 3632 Mandate Claims – Approves Repeal of Special Disability Adjustment Mandate Effective July 1, 2011
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 08/04/2010 10:44 PM (Pacific Time)] - The Budget Conference Committee, chaired by Sen. Denise Ducheny (Democrat – San Diego, 40th State Senate District), voted just after 8:40 PM Wednesday evening, to reject the Governor’s proposal to suspend the AB 3632 mental health special education mandate, that will leave the program – at least for the 2010-2011 State Budget year, as is.
The mental health services administered by the counties under AB 3632 impacts thousands of children in special education across California. Federal law requires the states to provide these mental health services to eligible students – but California in 1984 passed a state law that designated the counties with primary responsibility in the State to carry out that federal requirement.
The action by the Budget Conference Committee included approving a reduction of $52 million in state general funds to the Department of Mental Health for payment of AB 3632 claims in the current 2010-2011 State budget year, and approval of additional (augmentation) $133 million in State general funds to the Commission on State Mandates for payments to the counties for prior year AB 3632 mandate claims in 2010-2011.
CDCAN Report #147-2010: Extension of Temporary Medicaid Funding Increase to States (FMAP) Wins Key Vote in US Senate - Clears Way for Likely Passage On Thursday - But US House Needs to Act
Wed, 2010-08-04 12:31 — chrisTemporary Increase In Medicaid Funding (FMAP) Wins Key Vote in US Senate – Clears Way For Likely Passage Sometime on Thursday
US House of Representatives Would Need To Take Final Action On Bill – House Currently in Recess Until Mid-September – House Expected to Return Briefly To Act on Bill - Funding Increase Has Major Impact to California and Other States
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 08/04/2010 10:30 AM (Pacific Time)] - In an action that has major impact to California’s budget shortfall, US Senate Democrats with the help of two US Senate Republicans, won a key vote that clears the way sometime on Thursday (August 5th) for likely passage of a $26.1 billion bill that would partially extend the temporary increase in Medicaid matching funds to the states including California and also includes funding for local education agencies. That Medicaid funding to the states (matched by state funding) is sometimes referred to as “FMAP” - the “Federal Medical Assistance Percentages”, which is used in determining the amount of Federal matching funds that a state is eligible.
US Senate Democrats, led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Democrat – Nevada), overcame US Senate Republican opposition to end debate on the measure, by a vote of 61 to 38. US Senate Republicans Susan Collins and Olympia Snow – both from Maine – were the only Republicans to support the bill. Democrats needed at least 60 votes – under US Senate rules – to end debate on the bill to allow it to come for a final vote.
CDCAN Report #146-2010: Budget Conference Committee Votes to Repeal Two Major IHSS Cuts Enacted in 2009 - Approves Proposal for IHSS Worker "Provider Fee" - Would be Reimbursed - Could Generate $150-200 Millions in New Federal Funds
Tue, 2010-08-03 19:33 — chrisBUDGET CONFERENCE COMMITTEE VOTES TO REPEAL TWO MAJOR IHSS CUTS ENACTED IN 2009 DEALING WITH ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICES AND STATE FUNDING FOR WORKER WAGES
Approves Proposal For IHSS Worker Fees That Would Be Matched by Federal Medicaid Funds – IHSS Workers Would Be Reimbursed Immediately - All Actions Need Final Approval of Legislature and Governor As Part of the State Budget Whenever One Emerges
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 08/03/2010 06:20 PM (Pacific Time)] - The Budget Conference Committee, chaired by Sen. Denise Ducheny (Democrat – San Diego, 40th State Senate District), re-convened just before 4:30 PM late this afternoon at the State Capitol and voted to approve a new proposal that could draw down between $150 to $200 million in new matching Medicaid dollars by imposing a fee on In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers that would be matched by those new federal funds.
The Budget Conference Committee also approved on a party-line vote, to repeal two major cuts to the IHSS program enacted as part of the 2009-2010 State Budget as passed in February and revised in July 2009 (see below for details). While those two major cuts are currently blocked from implementation by two separate federal lawsuits, the action today by the Budget Conference Committee to repeal those cuts will not take effect until a 2010-2011 State Budget is passed and enacted.
CDCAN Report #144-2010: CA Budget Crisis Continues - US Senate Democrats Back Off From Vote On Bill To Extend Increase In Medicaid Funding to CA and Other States - Budget Conference Committee Scheduled to Meet at State Capitol Tue and Wed
Mon, 2010-08-02 22:37 — chris- US Senate Backs Off On Medicaid Increase Extension
- Budget Conference Committee To Meet Tue & Wed
- Some State Legislative Policy Committees To Meet
No Agreement In Sight On How To Close Over $19 Billion State Budget Shortfall As California Goes Into Its 33rd Day Without A Budget
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 08/02/2010 08:20 PM (Pacific Time)] - US Senate Democrats in Washington, DC backed off from calling for a vote Monday evening on a federal bill with new amendments that would have allocated $16.1 billion to partially extend the temporary increase in Medicaid matching funding to the states including California that experiencing enormous state budget shortfalls. The proposed amendments would also have provided $10 billion in additional funding to local educational agencies.
US Senate Democratic leaders decided against calling for a vote after it was clear that there were not the needed 60 votes to end debate to allow a final vote on the measure.
The new proposal is a dramatically scaled back version – referred to as a “phased down” approach - of several previous unsuccessful attempts by US Senate Democrats to pass a 6 month extension of the full amount of the temporary increase in Medicaid funding to the states.
CDCAN Report #139-2010: Governor Signs "Ed Roberts Day" Bill (SB 1256) - Proclaims January 23 as Special Day to Honor the Disability Rights Leader
Mon, 2010-07-19 17:47 — chrisGOVERNOR SIGNS “ED ROBERTS DAY” BILL
SB 1256 by Loni Hancock Would Require California Governor To Proclaim January 23rd Each Year as Day of “Special Significance” Honoring Ed Roberts in Public Schools and Other Educational Institutions – Governor Also Signs Bill Honoring President Ronald Reagan
Ed Roberts: Roberts, who passed away on March 14, 1995 at age 56, was a founder of WID (World Institute on Disability) and a former director of the Department of Rehabilitation.SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 07/19/2010 5:12 PM (Pacific Time)] – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed today SB 1256 by Sen. Loni Hancock (Democrat – Berkeley, 9th State Senate District), a bill that will require California governors to proclaim each January 23rd as a day of “special significance” honoring the life and work of revered disability rights leader Ed Roberts [pictured left] , recognized across the world as the “father of the independent living” movement for people with disabilities and special needs. The approval of the legislation comes just a few days before the 20th anniversary of the signing of the landmark Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), which Congress passed and then President George H. W. Bush signed into law on July 26, 1990.
Ed Roberts Day Bill (SB 1256) Now on Governor's Desk - Write Letter and Urge Signing - Governor Has 12 Days (July 19, 2010) to Act
Honoring Disability Rights & Ed Roberts:
- ACTION ALERT: WRITE LETTER TO GOVERNOR URGING HIM TO SIGN SB 1256 ED ROBERTS DAY
- Passed Assembly 73 to 0 – Passed State Senate 34 to 0
- Sent to Governor July 7th – He Has 12 Days To Act On It (July 19th)
Ed Roberts: Roberts, a former director of the Department of Rehabilitation and co-founder of a respected disability advocacy organization World Institute on Disability (WID), passed away from natural causes on March 14, 1995.In the 20th anniversary year of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, a bill that would proclaim every January 23rd “Ed Roberts Day” was passed without opposition by the California Legislature – with support from nearly every Democratic and Republican members, and now is in the hands of the Governor.
The bill, SB 1256 by Sen. Loni Hancock (Democrat – Berkeley, 9th State Senate District), would honor the life and work of disability rights leader Ed Roberts, recognized and revered across the world as the “father of the independent living” movement for people with disabilities and special needs. January 23rd is the birthday of Ed Roberts, who was born in 1939. He passed away on March 14, 1995 at the age of 56.
The bill, which passed the Assembly 73 to 0 and passed the State Senate on July 1st by vote of 34 to 0, was delivered to the Governor on July 7th. The Governor has 12 days to either sign the bill, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature. This commentary and action alert is asking people to write to the Governor to urge him to sign it into law – a fitting tribute to a remarkable disability rights leader on the anniversary of a remarkable federal disability rights law.
CDCAN Report #138-2010: State Announces Reinstatement of Medi-Cal Optometry Benefit for Adults - Used by 731,000 Adults in Medi-Cal Program
Wed, 2010-07-07 20:16 — chris- MEDI-CAL OPTOMETRY BENEFIT FOR 731,000 ADULTS REINSTATED
- Department of Health Care Services Posts Information on Reinstatement on its Medi-Cal Program Website Today
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 07/07/2010 06:00 PM (Pacific Time)] – The Department of Health Care Services, the state agency that oversees the State’s Medi-Cal program, announced officially today on its Medi-Cal website, the reinstatement of the adult Medi-Cal optometry benefit that was previously eliminated as of July 1, 2009. The optometry benefit for adults was restored in order to comply with federal law which specifically prohibited states from eliminating that benefit under certain conditions.
CDCAN Report #136-2010: Budget Conference Committee Meets Today at 3 PM State Capitol Room 4203 To Take Up Several "Open" Budget Items
Wed, 2010-07-07 11:47 — chris- Budget Conference Committee Will Meet Today At 3 PM At State Capitol – No Overall Budget Agreement Near
- Conference Committee Will Take Up Several “Open Items” – Several Key Issues Remain “Open” Including Budget Cut or Savings to IHSS, Additional 1.25% Reduction to Most Regional Center Providers and Operations, Proposed Changes to AB 3632 Mental Health Special Education Mandate, Extension of the AB 1629 Nursing Home Medicaid Quality Assurance Fee
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 07/07/2010 09:50 AM (Pacific Time)] – With California now seven days without a new state budget and no overall agreement near on how to resolve the enormous $20 billion budget shortfall, the Budget Conference Committee will resume its hearings with a meeting today (July 7th, Wednesday) at 3:00 PM at the State Capitol in Room 4203. Today’s hearing is expected to continue the committee’s work on trying to take action on several of the remaining “open” items, though it is not certain yet what specific items they will actually take up this afternoon.
