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111 Washington Avenue, Suite 101 |
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| For Immediate Release Monday, February 10, 2003 |
For more information contact: Mel Tanzman (914) 374-3406 Cell Tim Cronin (518) 458-1600 |
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Advocate to Challenge Governor’s
Medicaid Proposals
Medicaid Cuts - Not on the
Backs of Seniors and the Disabled
Melvyn Tanzman will present testimony today at the Health, Medicaid & Aging Committee hearing held at the Legislative Office Building in Albany - Hearing Room B. Tanzman is deeply concerned that the Governor’s proposed Medicaid budget cuts will jeopardize the capacity for people with disabilities and seniors to remain independent in the "most integrated setting" possible.
"I believe that a number of the Governor’s proposals will have the impact of restricting and limiting services, forcing people back into institutions, and thus leave the state vulnerable to costly and embarrassing litigation for violating the rights of people with disabilities and seniors," states Tanzman from his testimony.
He recounted how he gave similar testimony ten years ago with a colleague named David Veatch. In a symbolic gesture, Veatch offered the committee members the keys to his apartment because the Medicaid cuts proposed at the time would have robbed him of his freedom and independence. Mr. Veatch has since passed away.
Specifically, Tanzman identified four recommendations from the Governor’s budget that will have a negative impact on the lives of people with disabilities and senior citizens: 1) the establishment of a non-reimbursable 0.06 percent assessment on home care providers revenues, 2) elimination of the Medicaid trend factor that would have adjusted provider rates for cost of living, 3) reduction of all state aid to counties for the optional services they deliver, and 4) initiation of a new "utilization review" process for high cost, high use, home health care cases.
Instead of these draconian cuts, Tanzman offers a solution, "For the last several years, we have been advocating for a Medicaid Waiver program that will focus on providing appropriate community-based support services as opposed to expensive institutional care." He states that current waiver programs have been successful in saving the state money, noting that the Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver Program saves Medicaid over $1,600 per person per month.
Tanzman adds, "We project that such a waiver would save Medicaid over $380 million during a five year period. This would translate into $152 million in state savings and $38 million in local savings!" He also notes that President Bush’s "Money Follows the Individual" initiative proposed for FFY 2004 would "sweeten the pot" by providing full reimbursement for Medicaid costs in a waiver for the first year a person transitions out of an institutional setting.
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Melvyn R. Tanzman is the Executive Director of Westchester Disabled On the Move Inc., an Independent Living Center for people with disabilities based in Yonkers, NY. He also represents a wide range of disability organizations including the New York State Independent Living Council, the Coalition to Implement Olmstead in New York State, and the New York State Disability and Budget Coalition.