Disability Leadership Meet With White House Staff on Health Reform

Dan Fisher, Andy Imparato, Ari Ne'eman, Marty Ford, Suellen Galbraith, Bob Williams, Kelly Buckland, and Mike Oxford outside the White House after meeting with Health Reform Staff.
 (Photo By: Dan Fisher)

Disability Leadership Meet With White House Staff on Health Reform

From the Disability Representatives Present at the White House (8/31/09):

On August 27, as a follow-up to the meeting that President Obama had with disability community representatives on July 24, a group of advocates for home and community-based long-term services and supports met with Nancy-Ann DeParle and other senior staff at the White House to discuss the  Community First Choice - Option.

The disability representatives thanked the President's staff for his strong leadership on enacting comprehensive health reform that will help advance the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act by eliminating disability-based discrimination in health care coverage and barring pre-existing condition exclusions.

The meeting participants had a frank and productive discussion concerning the possible opportunities and barriers of including a Community First Choice Medicaid State option (CFC Option) in the final health reform legislation.  The CFC Option is an idea that emerged from discussions with Senator Harkin's office and Representative Davis's office as a way to make progress on home and community-based services and supports under Medicaid and a way to lay the foundation for later enactment of the Community Choice Act.  It is a proposal that has support from the cross-disability community, including leaders from the NCIL, ADAPT, the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), AAPD, the National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer Survivor Organizations, Autistic Self Advocacy Network and Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (see below fact sheet on the CFC option)

The disability representatives thanked the White House Staff for their time and support for expanding choices in long-term services and supports, and all agreed to keep open the lines of communication as health care reform heats up again when Congress returns from the August recess.

Attending the meeting from the White House were Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Care Reform; Tina Tchen, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement; Jeff Crowley, Director of the White House Office on National AIDS Policy and Senior Advisor on Disability Policy within the Domestic Policy Council; Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy; and Keith Fontenot from the Office of Management and Budget.  Mr. Fontenot's responsibilities for OMB include long-term services and supports policy.

Attending the meeting from the disability community were Mike Oxford and Cassie James from ADAPT, Kelly Buckland and Lou Ann Kibbee from the National Council on Independent Living, Marty Ford of The Arc/UCP Disability Policy Collaboration and CCD, Chester Finn of Self Advocates Becoming Empowered, Daniel Fisher of the National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer Survivor Organizations, Ari Ne'eman of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Suellen Galbraith of ANCOR, Lee Page of Paralyzed Veterans of America, Andy Imparato of the American Association of People with Disabilities, and Bob Williams, President Clinton's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Disability and Long-term Care Policy who attended as a private citizen.

>>> Download Community First Choice - Option Proposal (MS Word Document)

Comments

[Amy Dreps]

Nice work....nice photo!!!

[Maggie Dee]

Hopefully a summary of cost effectiveness per state will be a clear indicator that there IS a cost savings which was NOT indicate by the OMB HORRIBLE report.

This was great news...one inch by one inch maybe when the "health reform" will provide funds to start at least a pilot roll-out for CCA in several states and based on that projected dates for more states to enlarge the pilot to states that aleady have a well entrenched state providing home care.

Question...Is anyone using information for the states who are using 1915 federal nursing home waiver figures...which **show** cost neutrality within their state's 1915 federal nursing home waiver program? What the nursing home waiver allows?

This report is so encouraging! Many thanks to those of you who attended...maybe those who attended can give their own take on the meeting?

Proud to be a member of AAPD!

Maggie Dee, Producer
KUSF, 90.3 FM, "Disability and Senior News Report" (San Francisco) Sunday, 12:30 p.m. PST

[jward52]

We are for CFC! - also: -- The AMERICAN Patriot Citizens, including the DISABLED Living in POVERTY, are sick & tired of the $Filthy Rich getting $Richer, and Violating OUR U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL, WORKER, DISABILITY, & FAIRNESS RIGHTS & LAWS!!! - It is time for All U.S. Citizens to be able to make a LIVABLE WAGE!! SLAVE LABOR, Discrimination, & un-Caring Work / Environmental Conditions are Alive & well in CHINA & MEXICO!!! - Enough of this CRAP!! OUR CONGRESS is Violating OUR RIGHTS by allowing this to go on-and-on!! Corporations whom send Our Jobs over-Seas for $PROFIT ONLY, should be PROSECUTED and/or High TARRIFS placed on these BLOOD PRODUCTS!! Where is this CHANGE thing WE-the-PEOPLE VOTD FOR??!! President OBAMA - You PROMISED, - RIGHT??!! Citizens Stop being Walked-On & VIOLATED!! - Hold OUR Elected Officials Accountable!!! We are Tired of going without LIVABLE WAGES & Health Care!!! - And the DISABLED Citizens are tired of being treated like 4th class morons!!! WE Must be Respected, Heard, & Recognized by OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS NOW!!!
-- & Pass the CFC Immediately!!!

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