Choices and Freedom Are Sweeter Than Candy!

[Traveling_Home]

For Immediate Release
Contact: Bob Kafka 512/442-0252

Choices and Freedom Are Sweeter Than Candy!

Disability advocates across the nation are celebrating a
victory this Valentines Day, and after; passage of the Money
Follows the Person. This is part of recently passed federal
legislation that will help people who want to move out of
nursing homes and other institutions and instead receive
services in the community.

All too often people with disabilities of all ages, from
children to adults and on up to seniors, wind up having to go
to a nursing home or other institution because they either do
not hear about community based support services, or the waiting
lists are far too long. People with all kinds of disabilities,
regardless of age and all degrees of disability, live well in
the community. What is the key factor for success? The right
services and supports.

"Free, free at last! There is nothing to compare being locked
up to being free" said James Templeton "It's like being in
jail, but in an institution you don't know if you will ever get
out. I spent 30 years inside and then I didn't get better, I
just got out. Now my life is my own."

Lack of funding for community-based services is one of the main
reasons waiting lists for community services are so long. But
now, by listening to people with disabilities, the government
has figured out how these services can be provided without
additional costs. The money that pays for the person's services
in the nursing home or other institution can be used instead to
pay for their services in the community, hence the name Money
Follows the Person.

Ironically, the cost of community-based services is, on
average, about two-thirds the cost of the equivalent
institutional services. The idea is so simple it took a while
to take hold, but now we have a Medicaid reform that not only
is more economical, it also gives people choice!

In 2007, under the federal Money Follows the Person initiative,
states can apply to CMS (the federal Medicaid agency) and over
the course of the next five years about 40 states will be
selected to receive a better federal match (FMAP) for this
initiative. Using Money Follows the Person, for the first year
a person moves out onto community services the federal
government will cover a higher percent of the cost of their
services and states will pay a smaller portion. After that
first year the match rate will return to the regular rate, but
even this can save the state money.

The enhanced rate, which is set state by state using the SCHIP
formula would be between 12% and 25% higher than the regular
Federal match rate, depending on the state.

It is often said that home is where the heart is. Across the
nation 287,098 or 20.5% of all people in nursing homes have
said they would rather live in the community. For them, and
perhaps others, Money Follows the Person is the best valentine
they could receive.

We want to alert the Governors and state legislatures and
challenge them to take full advantage of this initiative and
apply with CMS as soon as possible!

NATIONAL ADAPT MAILING LIST - Adapt MiCASA List
http://www.adapt.org

[Wordie]

1. This is terrific news. Thanks for posting it.

I tried to recommend it, but was too late.

[pilgrimm]

2. This sounds great, but I just can help feel like there’s some catch.

[Wordie]

3. I almost didn't notice you're new here! Welcome to DU, Traveling_Home!

:hi: