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Directors, NCACBSS,
NCACDSS,
This continues to be a ground breaking year at the General Assembly. The Senate
HHS Appropriations Subcommittee met today and reviewed the House budget. The
co-chairs of this committee were advised that they are to have their proposed
budget completed by tomorrow afternoon (Thursday, 4/24/03).
The budget will go
to full Appropriations on Monday afternoon and will have a Second reading
on Tuesday and a final Third reading on Wednesday. What I am hearing is that
the Senate is planning on accepting the House budget with a little tweaking
and will have it passed by Wednesday.
We have 24 hours to impact the chairs of the Senate HHS Appropriations subcommittee
before they present their budget tomorrow afternoon. PLEASE contact the co-chairs
TODAY!!
Rep Bill Purcell - Stanly, Scotland, Richmond, Anson - williamp@ncleg.net
919-733-5953
Rep Eric Reeves - Wake County - ericr@ncleg.net 919-715-6400
After tomorrow we will have through Monday to impact
the chairs of the full Appropriations Committee. PLEASE contact the chairs
when they return home on Friday or during the weekend!!!!
Sen Linda Garrou - Forsyth - Lindag@ncleg.net - Home Phone
- 336-922-4192
Sen Walter Dalton - Cleveland, Rutherford - Walterd@ncleg.net
- home phone (828) 287-2908
Sen Kay Hagan - Guilford - Kayh@ncleg.net - She only lists
her Raleigh Office # (919) 733-5856
Sen Charlie Albertson - Duplin, Harnett, Sampson - Charliea@ncleg.net
only lists Raleigh Office #(919) 733-5705
Sen Web Gulley - Durham, Granville, Person - Wibg@ncleg.net
- Home # (919) 683-1584
House Budget that Impacts DSS that we stress be changed:
Remove
the 1 Million cut to Adult Home Care Management - These social workers
assure the appropriate medical and other care services are provided for the
most vulnerable population within adult care facilities. To remove these social
workers eliminates the oversight and assistance to facilities to assure this
population receives the special care and attention they desperately need.
Note: we are required to provide these services despite funding and this will
create a SIGNIFICANT cost shift to counties.
Remove the 1.4 Million cut to the Adult Home
Specialist Fund - this will ELIMINATE funds to local DSS. The staff
this money funds monitors and assists in the licensure and relicensure of
facilities, insure that regulartory process are carried out , that care is
provided and that the residents' bill of rights is respected. Note: we are
required to provide these services despite funding and this will create a
SIGNIFICANT cost shift to counties.
Increase funding to NC Health Choice
- with the current funding 20,000 children will be denied Health Choice --
affordable health insurance for children of modest-income working parents.
Enrollment will be limited to 100,000 children, excluding at least 5,000 children
next year and 15,000 more over the next three years. An enrollment freeze
would occur right after the state budget is final.
Remove the cut for State Transitional Medicaid
Coverage that ELIMINATES the 12 month transitional Medicaid coverage for families
coming off TANF For at least the first 12 months these families are
usually underemployed and not receiving a living wage. To take this coverage
away creates another barrier in moving toward self-sufficiency as they will
be denied health care coverage and unable to afford a private insurer.
Remove the cut that eliminate Medicaid coverage for pregnant
women and infants with incomes between 151% to 185% - 10,890 low-income
pregnant women in families with incomes over 150%FPL [$22,530 -family of three]
will be denied access to Medicaid health coverage, including prenatal care.Pregnant
women can currently get affordable Medicaid coverage if their family income
is at or below 185% FPL [$27,787 - family of three] and they have no other
health insurance. Women who don't get prenatal care are much more likely to
have babies that are born prematurely or who have serious health problems.
Costs of caring for just a few premature births with complications in a pediatric
intensive care unit can easily run into the millions of dollars. The costs
of not providing adequate prenatal care [and not covering infants - see below]
far outweigh the $2 million savings in this year's budget that comes from
cutting this care. Infants less than one year old will be denied Medicaid
health coverage in families with incomes over 150% FPL [$22,530 -family of
three]. Currently Medicaid covers infants less than one year old if their
family income is at or below 185% FPL [$27,787 - family of three] and they
have no other health insurance. There are over 800,000 children on the Medicaid
program. Even if this change only affects 10% of children on Medicaid, 80,000
children will be denied health coverage under the House budget. The critical
year for covering children is their first year of life when many health problems
can develop that are easily treatable if caught early.
Remove the cut that Eliminates Medicaid for 19 and 20 year
olds. We encourage children to remain in foster care as they transition
to adulthood and self sufficiency. Many foster children remain under care
when they are 19 and 20 years old to continue support that will assist them
in finishing school, attending college, and securing employment. This would
eliminate health coverage for our foster children during this critical transitional
time.
THANKS and please feel free to call me if you would like additional information!!!
Karen
