Testimony to
Senate Subcommittee on the Department on Aging
Madam Chair and members of
the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide this testimony to you
regarding the budget for the Kansas Department on Aging (KDOA). My name is
Tanya Dorf, and I serve as the Chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee for
the Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living (KACIL). I am also the
Executive Director of Independence, Inc., one of the twelve Centers for
Independent Living (CILs) KACIL represents.
Centers for Independent
Living provide services to people with disabilities of all ages. CILs also provide information and assistance to businesses
and other entities in the community to increase opportunities for people with disabilities
to live, work and participate in all aspects of community life. We advocate at
a state and national level for the rights of all people with disabilities to
live in the communities of their choice.
KACIL supports the Governor’s Budget
Recommendation for the FY 2006 KDOA budget. The budget fully funds the Home and
Community-Based Services Frail Elderly waiver. Full funding for the waiver
allows all older Kansans who need Medicaid long-term care services to have a
choice between nursing facility and community-based services. We urge the
Committee to ensure the agency continues to operate the waiver so people do not
have to wait for services in the community. It is also critical to ensure
access to community services is not diminished in the future by changing the
eligibility requirements or service definitions.
KACIL also supports the continued level of
funding for the Senior Care Act. The services older Kansans are able to access
through Senior Care Act funds help them maintain their independence and
dignity.
One of KDOA’s
enhancement requests for FY 2006 was a six percent increase in the rates paid
through the Frail Elderly waiver. KACIL certainly supports increased rates for
direct care services, as the people who provide these services are some of the
lowest paid in the state’s economy. It is important to remember, though, that
there are two different rates paid through the Frail Elderly waiver – one rate
for self-directed services and another for agency-directed services.
People who receive services under
self-direction or non-self-direction are receiving the same service, and the
services should be reimbursed at the same rate.
This principle goes beyond just the Frail
Elderly waiver. Reimbursement rates paid for similar services should be equal
among all of the HCBS waivers. The rates paid for services such as personal
assistance vary in both amount and type of payment, depending upon whether they
are provided through the Developmental Disabilities, Physical Disabilities,
Frail Elderly or Traumatic Brain Injury waivers. The level of staff providing
the service and the type of service itself, however, does not vary greatly
depending on which waiver pays for the services.
KDOA also requested an
enhancement to provide dental benefits to persons who receive Frail Elderly
waiver services. Dental services are some of the most important preventive
medical services available, but without access to them, elderly people, people
with disabilities and people with low-income levels are not able to stave off
many preventable medical conditions. This is a service Kansans have not had for
many years, and it is time to restore it. Given the state’s budget situation
this year, it may not be possible to restore these services in FY 2006. But, it
is critical that the Committee and the agency remember how important dental
services are and find a place in the budget for the services as soon as
possible.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide
testimony about the KDOA budget. I would be happy to provide any additional
information at the Committee’s request.
Tanya Dorf, Executive Director
Independence, Inc.
785-841-0333
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