March 14, 2003

House Social Service Budget Committee

OK, the Committee finally let out at 6:30 and finished what they wanted put into their report to take to the full Appropriations Tuesday morning.

Landwehr keeps talking about personal accountability and responsibility and giving the State the right to re-coup.  She wants to put liens on personal property of those receiving any State services.  She also wants SRS to monitor with Estate Recovery in going into homes and doing an inventory on personal property.  SRS (Candy Shively) spoke out against this proposal saying there is a middle ground and the State does not want to make people destitute.

Laura then talked regarding DeCastro's question on liability when PCA's are doing medical services instead of RN's.  Laura advised her there is a cost savings of $4.7million SGF by having PCA's do it.  DeCastro still concerned with putting consumers at high risk and in jeopardy and having serious problems in the future.

Laura then advised the committee that SRS does not recommend changing the PASSAR Scores any higher than 26 as there is no real cost savings.  If the committee does chose to change the score, SRS recommends grand fathering all currently on the waiver, plus those on the WL. 

Rep. Ballard asked about the wait on the WL.  Right now it's about 10 months, and if not further money put into the waiver for the WL, and the waiver still "frozen", the wait would then be 12-14 months before SRS can offer a rolling WL.

Rep. Landwehr stated that if individuals are in such dire need of services, people are somehow getting by or they're making the decision to enter NF's.  Laura told her we're not talking about the elderly population, we're talking young people.    Brenda "has had her fill of the State of Kansas killing people by not providing services."

There are 92 people on the WL that has a score between 26-29.

Rep. Ballard wants to stick with the score of 26.  Brenda wants to raise it to 32.  Henry wants to stick with 26. 

Final decision:  Stay with 26 in FY '04, but gather further information.  Ask SRS for better accounting of numbers and re-visit at Omnibus.

Josie Torrez
KACIL
517 SW 37th St., Suite B
Topeka, Ks 66611
785-342-9241 or 267-1717
jtorrez@kacil.org


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