WELFARE AND HEALTH TASK FORCE

The legal services Welfare and Health Task Force last met on:

Date: Friday, November 6
Time: 12:00 noon to 3:15 p.m. ET
Place: Legal Aid of the Bluegrass Community Room, 498 Georgetown Street, Lexington

Note new starting time: We’ll start with a working lunch at noon to make it easier for folks from Western Kentucky to join us.

RSVP: To register for the meeting, email richseckel@kyequaljustice.org.

Materials

See agenda items below for links.

Welfare and Health Task Force Agenda

 Welfare TF annc 11-06-09 amended.pdf

November 6, 2009

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12:00 Welcome, Introductions and Lunch

We'll start with a working lunch.

12:15 ADA and Public Benefits Follow-up: The New Reg and Forms in Practice

ADA expert Cary LaCheen will follow up by speakerphone on new Kentucky regs, forms and notices that give us ADA-related advocacy handles.

Show me the numbers! KEJC requested data from DCBS on the number of K-TAP parents who elected screening for physical health, mental health and learning disabilities in the assessment process. We’ve got ‘em, plus a couple of good policy changes.
 ADA follow-up inquiry rjs 10-8-09 final.pdf
 DCBS ADA Letter.pdf

Targeted Assessment Project: TAP provides screening and help to K-TAP parents faced with learning disabilities, substance abuse and domestic violence. Director Barbara Ramlow will join us for the ADA discussion and tell us what she sees—and does—in her program.
 TAP Program Description - SFY 2010.pdf
 FY 2010 TAP MAP - TAP Development.pdf
 FY 2010 TAP Staff and Faculty Contact Information - revised 11-5-09.pdf

12:45 Special Case Focus: Nursing Home Discharge Cases

Judging from the list serve postings, it’s happening all over: patients are being discharged from nursing homes. Sometimes, it’s a case of “dumping” a patient with behavior problems, sometimes it’s nonpayment. We’ll devote quality time to the nuts and bolts of handling the case, as follows:

• Anne Marie Regan works from the Campbell complaint to describe the legal framework of patients’ rights and remedies
• Carol Dupin reviews a “check off” to help case handlers get ready for a hearing
• The group engages in Q&A and discussion

 Check off for Discharge actions.pdf

1:30 Break

1:45 MIPPA and MSP: Medicare Improvements

The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) increased resource guidelines for Medicare Savings Plans to the same levels as Low Income Subsidy guidelines for Medicare Part D drug plans—and more. We’ll get the MIPPA low down—maybe even in person!—from Daniel Curry and Melissa Powell.
 MIPPA.pdf

2:00 Fleeing Felons . . . DSH residency . . . Is $ following you?

Show me the MFP! Money Follows the Person was a popular topic last time: getting people out of institutions and back to their homes and communities is a compelling mission. Bring your MFP concerns!

DSH and residency: KEJC proposed changes in the screening form for Disproportionate Share Hospital coverage, including language to make clear that giving an SSN is voluntary. DMS accepted them, but, in the most recent draft, threw in a new wrinkle: 6 months of receipts to prove residency. Do some old public benefits cases help?
 KEJC mark-up of revised DSH-001 form.pdf
 KEJC comment letter on revised DSH-001.pdf

And more if there’s time . . .

Fleeing felon settlement approved: A nationwide class action settlement now has been approved. SSA will suspend or deny benefits only for outstanding felony warrants issued for offenses directly based on the concept of fleeing. Lisa Line keeps us up to date.

Manual labor: A vast flow of policy letters, manual transmittals and updated manual sections comes from DCBS to the KEJC inbox. Your task force chairs help Rich find the good stuff. Kim Murphy shares. You can find the Division of Family Support manuals here: http://manuals.chfs.ky.gov/dcbs_manuals/DFS/index_dfs.asp

Ready to Work? In the wake of news that Kentucky didn’t meet its federal participation rate for 2007, an interesting change: new funds for work study in the KCTCS “Ready to Work” program. (A topic for future meetings: K-TAP parents in school?)

Food Stamp “cat el:” More than half of states have done away with the food stamp asset test through the magic of “cat el:” aligning food stamp rules with a new low cost TANF-funded benefit. Kentucky is on the move again. Rich Seckel explains. Meanwhile, in a recent letter to Regions, the Food and Nutrition Service highlighted the option and signaled its approval.

See: Improving Access to SNAP through Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (By the way, SNAP is the new federal name for food stamps.)

“Why It Matters:” Kentucky Voices for Health is the worthy new statewide coalition that helped convince the Governor to launch a plan for child health outreach and the legislature to raise the tobacco tax. Its latest brief addresses not the details but the need in Kentucky for national health reform.
 KVH-Expanding Health Coverage-WEB.pdf

2:45 Case reports and discussions

Your case here . . .

3:00 Plan Ahead

Topics: We’ll spend a few minutes brainstorming emerging issues and topics for future agendas, plus ideas for Task Force participants and speakers—and use of technology for long distance meetings.

Sponsors: are there businesses, allies or other groups that could help sponsor task force meetings and activities?

3:15 Adjourn!