IN SPIRIT Legislative Information
Recently passed Federal Health Care Bill
The new health care bill includes a provision for long term health care.
New York Times article
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The US 9th Circuit Court of Appeal has ruled against Governor Schwarzenegger preventing him from reducing the State participation in the IHSS wage. It's a great temporary victory, but the State will continue to appeal the ruling in higher courts.
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The State budget proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger for 2010-11 which would go into effect July 1 includes major cuts for IHSS, Medi-Cal and SSI/SSP.
The predictable budget and what Democrats will do this year
Herb Meyer's letter in the Capitol Weekly 1/7/10
When Herb Talks, Sacramento Listens
Herb Meyer
Herb is a tireless advocate for IHSS. He is the Chair of the Governing Board of the IHSS Public Authority of Marin and President of the Board of Marin Center for Independent Living. An injury in a sailing accident in 1993 left him quadriplegic, but it did not take the wind out of his sails. He is an active member of the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors, and he has been receiving IN SPIRIT assistance since 2000.
Every year the disability community must rally to prevent cuts to IHSS, and Herb has taken numerous trips to Sacramento to testify before the Legislature. IN SPIRIT is proud to help Herb so he can keep on marching and sailing.
We have found that California Disability Community Action Network (CDCAN) provides the most thorough, up-to-date information on all aspects of disability legislation in California. They are an invaluable resource and can be found at www.cdcan.us.
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Support for Home & Community-Based Living Gaining Momentum Across the Nation
Improving the opportunities for people with disabilities to live in their communities and homes has long been a goal of the disability advocacy movement. Momentum is gaining across the nation to further that cause.
Historically, Medicaid long-term-care funding has favored institutions. In 1993, 84% of expenditures went to nursing facilities while 16% went to community-based services. Slowly, that is changing. The 1998 Supreme Court Olmstead Decision directed states to provide alternatives to nursing homes, helped shift the bias. By 2005, 63% of long-term-care dollars went to institutions and 37% to community-based services.
Through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal government is endeavoring to further address the institutional bias. By using a “Money Follows the Person” system of flexible funding, Medicaid dollars will “follow” individuals into the most appropriate and preferred settings. CMS asked for proposals from states on how they would use their Medicaid dollars to help individuals move out of nursing homes. California is one of 35 states that has submitted a proposal.