Legislative Update – 3/26/2007
Hello all,
Another Legislative update from Topeka…
The conference committee began meeting late last week on the Appropriations Budget bill. As you all will remember, one of the big things on our legislative agenda under the SRS budget at this point was that the Senate had included $400,000 in base funding for CILs. At this point, included in the bill is $200,000 for Base Funding for CILs, and the language that they will review the additional amount ($600,000) at Omnibus.
So, as we have been talking with most of you already, the Legislative break is scheduled from April 5-16…THE TIME IS HERE invite legislators to your CIL offices over the break. Host a lunch; invite them to an advocacy group meeting, etc. Give them a picture of the services that CILs provide. They are especially interested in the numbers of folks served in their legislative districts. Have a conversation about the services the CIL provides, share information on what the base funding has done/or will do for your CIL, talk about the importance of community based services, give some examples of folks that have moved out of nursing homes, set up the opportunity for consumers to be part of visit. This is the time. Call their secretaries now at the Capitol to see when they are available. If you have a tough time making these appointments, let me know, maybe we can help. If you cover a large service area, get with me maybe we could talk through your list of legislators and figure out some of the KEY ones to address in this short break time.
Most of the budget items have been left to review at Omnibus, so community based services and Centers for Independent Living need to be fresh on their mind when they get back to Topeka.
Here is a sample of some of the items being left to review at Omnibus:
- Base Funding for Centers for Independent Living-$200,000 is secured, and we need to the additional $600,000 must be included in the Omnibus bill
- Provide funding for HCBS Waivers, PD, DD-to avoid waiting lists, or at least bring some folks off of the waiting lists (in the case of the DD waiver).
- Provide funding for HCBS waiver reimbursement rates. SRS originally requested a 3% reimbursement rate increase. An additional $7.2 M (SGF) would achieve rate parity among the TBI, PD, and DD waiver.
- FE Wavier Dental/Denture. The funding required to provide this service for those on the FE waiver will be reviewed at Omnibus.
These are just a sample of a few of the items we are still following in the budget. As you talk/communicate with legislators during this break, please continue to talk with them about the need to rebalance our long-term care system. HCBS is the most preferred living situation for long-term care.
Also, things really start flying here at the end of the legislative session…we are currently working on opposing several bills that are coming out:
- HB 2144: Relating to reimbursement rates for nursing facilities. The bill would significantly increase the nursing home budget over time. An additional alert is still coming on this legislation. The House Social Service budget committee appears to be concentrating on nursing facilities this session. While not one dollar has been committed to funding HCBS waiting lists or reimbursements rates for HCBS waivers, HB 2144, the nursing facility rebasing bill moves quickly forward. The House appropriations committee just met and voted this legislation on to the entire house floor.
The effect of this bill:
This bill would amend the reimbursement rate formula for nursing facilities in the future. The estimated fiscal note FY 08-$3.2 M (SGF), FY 09-$7.9 M (SGF), FY 10-$14.7 M (SGF). All of this on top of the $$40 M (AF) increase nursing facilities received last year!! (We will be sending another alert on this bill…with the action needed included)
At this point we don’t know when this bill might be on the House Calendar, but do want everyone to be aware of it.
- HB 2591-an act enacting the Foundations of Health Reform act of 2007. This legislation calls for things such as enacting the Kansas Medicaid Reform Act of 2007. We feel that this bill has been extremely rushed, and need time to review and reflect on the effects it might have. (again, another alert is following, from Shannon on this legislation, so please look for it)
- As amended, HB 2530 The Kansas Consumer Protection Act would no longer apply to physicians and other healthcare providers (including nursing facilities) with respect to professional services for which such providers is licensed or regulated by the state. KACIL provided written testimony in opposition of this legislation during the hearing on 3/21. This bill passed the House with no opposition. At this point, it has not been passed out of the Senate Committee. This legislation or similar wording could currently be amended into other bills. We need to get word to members of the House, to vote ‘no’ if HB 2530, or any bill that creates exemptions from the Kansas consumer protection act is sent to the House. In the Senate, the same message. I have attached some information provided from the Kansas Trail Lawyers Association and others. Currently we are also working hard to move forward a media campaign to create letters to the editor and articles talking about this legislation. I have attached some of the information being distributed on this bill for additional information. Also The Kansas Trial Lawyers Association has provided us with the internet links below, to assist consumers with developing their letters to the Kansas Legislature or to Media Editors across the state. Please make sure that everyone knows that they can edit the text on these websites and make it their own statements, hopefully this just helps folks get started:
Please use the links below to take action NOW.
Click here to email your senator and ask them to vote NO on HB 2530. You may edit the example, or completely write your own message.
Click here to send an email Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper on HB 2530. We give you a sample letter that you may edit, or write your own.
Click here to email your legislator and tell them you are appalled at the House vote on HB 2530. Use our sample, or write your own.
As always, we will continue to keep everyone updated on these issues, and hope that this might be your opportunity to speak out on a few issues. Please contact me if you need any assistance in taking these issues through or anything else.
Thanks for your time!
Jennifer Schwartz
Executive Director
KACIL
214 SW 6th Street, Suite A
Topeka, KS 66603
785-215-8048
785-215-8050 fax
www.kacil.org
jennifers@kacil.org
