will this happen in Illinois?

[Guest guest]

NEWS

Governor Says California, States

“Now Faced With A Decision To Eliminate Entire In Home Support” For Disabled

Sends letter to addressed to House Speaker Pelosi urging congress not to impose

new unfunded Medicaid requirements in health care reform – urges more

“flexibility” for states.

Governor’s letter signal that his proposed budget in January will include

massive spending reductions impacting people with disabilities, seniors, mental

health needs, workers & providers.

From CDCAN. www.cdcan.us

Citing an increasing heavy burden of costs imposed on the states at a time

when most are experiencing enormous budget shortfalls, Governor Arnold

Schwarzenegger early this evening released a letter Pelosi (Democrat – San

Francisco) urging that Congress not impose increased Medicaid program costs on

states through new unfunded federal requirements (mandates) and allow states the

flexibility to reduce reimbursement rates and benefits to recipients, in the

pending health care reform bills. The Governor said in his letter that the

latest health care reform bills would increase California’s unfunded mandate

costs through new Medicaid and other health requirements by over $3 billion,

adding to the state’s budget woes.

But the Governor also mentioned in his letter what will likely be an

politically explosive proposals of the possible elimination of the entire

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program that provides in-home supports and

services to over 462,000 children and adults with disabilities (including

developmental), mental health needs, the blind, persons with traumatic brain and

other injuries, low income seniors.

The Governor, in his letter that also went to all members of

California’s congressional delegation, said that the combination of recent court

decisions blocking many of the state budget cuts to Medicaid funded services

including and lack of “flexibility” in current federal Medicaid rules to allow

the states to reduce services or provider reimbursement rates when necessary,

will mean that “California is now faced with a decision to eliminate the entire

IHSS program "

The Governor did not firmly say that the proposed elimination of the

entire IHSS program would be in his proposed 2010-2011 State Budget, expected to

be releasd January 8, 2010 – but today’s letter was the strongest indication

that it would be. Any such proposal however would require approval by both the

Assembly and State Senate – and advocates and advocacy organizations,

representing disability, mental health, the blind, low income seniors, IHSS

workers are certain to raise major protests to have such a proposal rejected

immediately.

Both houses of the Legislature are in recess and are not scheduled to

return to the State Capitol to begin the 2010 legislative session until Monday,

January 4.

Governor Says Health Reform Bill Must Give States “Flexibility "

The Governor, in his letter to Pelosi, wrote that “…For health care

reform to succeed, Congress must first and foremost give states the flexibility

to meet our current obligations within the revenues available to states…Congress

must either let states reduce their costs to live within limited resources or

treat states equally by fully funding all Medicaid populations above a certain

eligibility level… "

The Governor said in his letter that “Congress has a chance to make

history with this legislation,” but that “the current structure and the

proposed expansion of Medicaid under health care reform are unsustainable for

California. Governors in every part of the country have raised similar concerns.

"

He said that “California stands ready to help achieve successful health

care reform, and I look forward to continuing to work with you as the final

comprehensive bill is negotiated in Congress”.

Congress is expected to take final action on a reform package sometime

early next year – but the Governor stressed in his letter to Speaker Pelosi that

the reform effort “…will only succeed if Congress gives states, like California,

the flexibility to meet current obligations within the revenues available to

states. "

_________________________________________________________________

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http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/

[Guest guest]

NEWS

Governor Says California, States

“Now Faced With A Decision To Eliminate Entire In Home Support” For Disabled

Sends letter to addressed to House Speaker Pelosi urging congress not to impose

new unfunded Medicaid requirements in health care reform – urges more

“flexibility” for states.

Governor’s letter signal that his proposed budget in January will include

massive spending reductions impacting people with disabilities, seniors, mental

health needs, workers & providers.

From CDCAN. www.cdcan.us

Citing an increasing heavy burden of costs imposed on the states at a time

when most are experiencing enormous budget shortfalls, Governor Arnold

Schwarzenegger early this evening released a letter Pelosi (Democrat – San

Francisco) urging that Congress not impose increased Medicaid program costs on

states through new unfunded federal requirements (mandates) and allow states the

flexibility to reduce reimbursement rates and benefits to recipients, in the

pending health care reform bills. The Governor said in his letter that the

latest health care reform bills would increase California’s unfunded mandate

costs through new Medicaid and other health requirements by over $3 billion,

adding to the state’s budget woes.

But the Governor also mentioned in his letter what will likely be an

politically explosive proposals of the possible elimination of the entire

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program that provides in-home supports and

services to over 462,000 children and adults with disabilities (including

developmental), mental health needs, the blind, persons with traumatic brain and

other injuries, low income seniors.

The Governor, in his letter that also went to all members of

California’s congressional delegation, said that the combination of recent court

decisions blocking many of the state budget cuts to Medicaid funded services

including and lack of “flexibility” in current federal Medicaid rules to allow

the states to reduce services or provider reimbursement rates when necessary,

will mean that “California is now faced with a decision to eliminate the entire

IHSS program "

The Governor did not firmly say that the proposed elimination of the

entire IHSS program would be in his proposed 2010-2011 State Budget, expected to

be releasd January 8, 2010 – but today’s letter was the strongest indication

that it would be. Any such proposal however would require approval by both the

Assembly and State Senate – and advocates and advocacy organizations,

representing disability, mental health, the blind, low income seniors, IHSS

workers are certain to raise major protests to have such a proposal rejected

immediately.

Both houses of the Legislature are in recess and are not scheduled to

return to the State Capitol to begin the 2010 legislative session until Monday,

January 4.

Governor Says Health Reform Bill Must Give States “Flexibility "

The Governor, in his letter to Pelosi, wrote that “…For health care

reform to succeed, Congress must first and foremost give states the flexibility

to meet our current obligations within the revenues available to states…Congress

must either let states reduce their costs to live within limited resources or

treat states equally by fully funding all Medicaid populations above a certain

eligibility level… "

The Governor said in his letter that “Congress has a chance to make

history with this legislation,” but that “the current structure and the

proposed expansion of Medicaid under health care reform are unsustainable for

California. Governors in every part of the country have raised similar concerns.

"

He said that “California stands ready to help achieve successful health

care reform, and I look forward to continuing to work with you as the final

comprehensive bill is negotiated in Congress”.

Congress is expected to take final action on a reform package sometime

early next year – but the Governor stressed in his letter to Speaker Pelosi that

the reform effort “…will only succeed if Congress gives states, like California,

the flexibility to meet current obligations within the revenues available to

states. "

_________________________________________________________________

Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection.

http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/