Susan's Blog

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Do Not Support Rep. Paul Ryan’s Budget

Please do not support Representative Paul Ryan’s proposal regarding the budget and Medicaid. It is simplistic and naive. We cannot get rid of our budgetary woes on the backs of seniors and the disabled. It’s expensive to take care of people who need care. But you can’t just say “screw ’em!” My friend and colleague Cathy Boyle, founder of Autism Housing Pathways, sent me this important breakdown of what Ryan’s proposal would likely mean for adults with disabilities. (By the way, if you are a frequent reader of my blog, that must mean you care about people like my son Nat. If you want to help adults with autism in terms of helping them secure safe housing, then please give to Autism Housing Pathways. Those dollars will go a long way.)

Here is what AHP’s Executive Director has to say about Wisconsin’s Paul Ryan’s budget proposal:

“Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, has made a budget proposal that, if enacted, would have a dramatic impact on long-term care for individuals with disabilities. Regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum, you need to be aware of the implications of the Ryan proposal for people with disabilities.

According to the Arc, [another key disability advocacy group Susan’s readers should consider supporting] three key elements would be:

* An $810 billion cut in Medicaid over 10 years (a 33% cut);

* Medicaid would be converted to a block grant to the states;

* All “dual eligibles” would be placed entirely in the Medicare program.

Let’s look at the implications of this to the best of my understanding.

* The elderly and individuals with disabilities represent 25% of Medicaid beneficiaries, but represent 2/3 of Medicaid spending. A 33% cut to the Medicaid budget would disproportionately affect individuals with disabilities.

 

[Ryan’s cut would have deleterious effects on guys like Nat.]

“* Block granting Medicaid would eliminate the individual entitlement to Medicaid. Translated into everyday life, it would remove the right to receive PCA services, Adult Foster Care and Group Adult Foster Care. These services are currently the only source of long-term services and supports for individuals not served through DDS (aside from SSI and Sec. 8), and are also used by individuals receiving DDS supports other than group homes and shared living. It is worth remembering at this point that only about 25% of individuals served by DDS receive group home or shared living supports at age 22.

* Dual eligibles are individuals eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. When a parent of an adult with a disability receiving SSI retires, dies or becomes disabled, the adult with a disability will (after a certain waiting period) become a dual eligible. If dual eligibles are moved exclusively onto Medicare, they will lose all eligibility for PCA services, Adult Foster Care and Group Adult Foster Care. In addition, the cost to the state of Mass. of individuals on the Medicaid waiver residing in group homes who become dual eligibles would double, as Medicaid pays half the cost of such placements.”

Cathy Boyle


Autism Housing Pathways: Building Roads to Home
http://www.autismhousingpathways.net

8 comments

There is an all out war being waged against the most vulnerable members of our society. It’s almost beyond belief that in a nationally televised primary debate, not one candidate for president chastised an audience that chanted for an uninsured man without money to be left to die. This is dehumanization at a McCarthy era level, except that far more people are affected. I believe that if we are going to successfully fight for disabled rights, we must join with all those who right to live a decent life have been abridged.

— added by Rob Gross on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 11:13 am

Yes, Rob!! How do I organize a march on Washington? Congress is heinous.

— added by Susan Senator on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 11:15 am

I’m in Susan!

— added by SarahConley on Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 5:22 am

Thanks for posting Susan. Maybe the Occupy crowd could help with a march? THey are a very diverse crowd and this is an issue I see them getting into. My daughter, Meg, and her partner are a couple of the starters of “Occupy Boston” and are committee. Meg works for the May with adults with disabilities and this is a huge issue for her too, from many angles. If you want some contact info, I’d be happy to share. Michele

— added by michele on Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 7:10 am

Susan…

h’s some punk, like Santorum, trying to make a name for himself on the backs weak and helpless. I think he must have got the hell beat out of him daily, just like Santorum to be so vengeful.What kind of vile notion is it when you put a price tag on the quality of life. If he cared as much about the born babies as he does the unborn maybe he would see the light. Typical rich Republican.They are all the same take take….ya know if they would just keep their money instead of buying politicians with PACs they may actually have more money.

No doubt this is a race between the haves and the have nots. The Republicans goal was to extend this recession as long as possible. bBastids!

— added by Brad C on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 3:19 am

Vice President nomination. I’m not happy!

— added by Ron on Sunday, August 12, 2012 at 7:22 am

too much fraud. WAY too much fraud to take care of the ones who really need it

— added by Annette on Monday, August 13, 2012 at 9:07 pm

So then fix it. Don’t cut it. And by the way, show me the fraud. Or is it just that you hear about the exceptions, the outrageous cases that are way in the minority? Go see a DayHab, Annette, and see if you can find where all this alleged fraud is. No, these facilities run on SHOE STRINGS. So easy to cry “fraud,” and throw the baby out with the bathwater.

— added by Susan Senator on Monday, August 13, 2012 at 9:21 pm

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