From the JFA Moderator:
Last Friday, November 6, the Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition (IDAC) sent a letter (read full text below) to Congress supporting the inclusion of two important long-term services and supports provisions in health care reform, the Community First Choice (CFC) Option and the CLASS Act. Hosted by AAPD's Interfaith Initiative, IDAC brings together national religious and religiously affiliated organizations to mobilize the religious community to speak out and take action on disability policy issues with Congress, the President and Administration, and society at large.
November 6, 2009
Dear Member of Congress:
We, the undersigned members of the
Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition (IDAC) and other religious and
religiously-affiliated organizations, write to urge you to retain long term
services and supports in health reform. The Community First Choice Option and
the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (CLASS Act) must be
included in health reform to ensure that people with disabilities have access
to critical long term services and supports that promote independence and
dignity.
The Community First Choice
Option would allow states to provide community-based attendant services and
supports through a Medicaid state plan option to people with disabilities who
are Medicaid eligible. Including the option in health reform will help to
address Medicaid’s institutional bias, which often forces people with
disabilities to live in institutions rather than in their homes and
communities. Institutionalization severs individuals from society, greatly
limiting their ability to contribute economically, socially, politically and
spiritually.
The CLASS Act creates a national, affordable, voluntary long term care
insurance program. By participating in this program, individuals will be able
to receive cash benefits for necessary supports without being forced to rely on
Medicaid. The CLASS Act would result in important savings to Medicaid while
providing participants with the ability to exercise personal responsibility and
choose how their services and supports are provided.
The Community First Choice Option and
the CLASS Act must be included in health reform. The shared values of our
faiths are in conflict with public policy that limits the choices and
opportunities for older adults and people with disabilities. These proposals are
crucial steps in fulfilling the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act
to “assure equality of opportunity, full
participation, independent
living, and economic self-sufficiency” for people with disabilities. They will
help to make it possible for people with disabilities to continue contributing
in their communities and congregations as well as to their nation.
Respectfully,
The American Baptist Home Mission Societies
Association
of Jewish Family & Children's
Council
for Health and Human Service
Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America
Friends
Committee on National Legislation
Hindu
American Foundation
Islamic
Society of North America
Jewish
Council for Public Affairs
L'Arche
USA
Lutheran
Services in America
National Council of Jewish Women
Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office
UJC/The
Jewish Federations of North America
The
Union for Reform Judaism
United
Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
For more on these provisions see previous JFActivist Action Alerts:
Action Alert: Support for CLASS Act Grows, Join in
URGENT! TODAY is a Turning Point for Long Term Services and Supports in Health Reform
Action Alert: THIS WEEK Support Long Term Services and Supports in Health Care Reform
http://home.earthlink.net/~mmjournal/cfpwd/
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