Community 1st Choice Option in jeopardy

[Marvin Wasserman]

'm sad to learn that back in New York, Assemblymember Deborah Glick has been blocking the Community 1st Choice Option for home care users.

According to former HHS Secretary Sebelius, “We know that people frequently prefer to receive services in their own homes and communities whenever possible. The rule and demonstration.... give people choice and provide states with flexibility to design programs that better meet the needs of beneficiaries, Prior to passage of the Affordable Care Act, many families had few choices beyond nursing homes or other institutions for their loved ones. The actions taken today will help change that and can lead to better health for these individuals.”

This option provides a six percentage point increase in federal Medicaid matching funds for providing community-based attendant services and supports to beneficiaries who would otherwise be confined to a nursing home or other institution.

Frankly, I am quite surprised by this. We had long considered Assemblymember Glick to be a reliable ally, and she was a past Chair of the Assembly Task Force on People with Disabilities. I can't believe that after all the years we've worked with her, given her our endorsements and awards for her sensitivity to our issues, that she can't quite get why this issue is important to our community.

As I understand it, she has until Monday to change her mind, or the issue is "dead" in this legislative session. I urge my friends in New York to call or send e-mails to her over the weekend to ask her to drop her opposition to this important piece of legislation for our community.

http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Deborah-J-Glick/contact

Marvin Wasserman
marvin...@aol.com

[Marvin Wasserman]

I'd like to apologize for an earlier post, taking to task a member of the New York State Assembly who has been unfairly characterized within our community as being opposed to the Community 1st Choice Option. I've since heard from a source that I trust (much closer to the ground), that the Member in question is actually on our side. The real culprits are in the NYS Senate, who refuse to come to the table to negotiate. Folks in New York need to direct their fire this weekend at the State Senate to bring them to the table so it can be voted upon and passed this session.

Marvin Wasserman
marvin...@aol.com

[Gabriela Amari]

Thanks Marvin,

I was really stressed about said person...This actually makes a Lot More Sense and I am relieved to hear that it is the same old culprits.  I will definitely take them to task!!

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