Monday, March 28, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Top 10 Most Important Cuts to MassHealth for Seniors, the Disabled, and their Families
continued from March 14th….
6. Elder Home Care
Approximately 2,500 frail elders each month are able to receive community based care services allowing them to stay in their homes and out of hospitals or other care facilities. There are now more than 2,700 elderly each month on waiting lists for these services. This program has experienced a $21.7 Million cut.
7. Elder Protective Services Cut
It’s no secret that the elderly are frequently preyed upon by the unscrupulous, and often loose whatever nest eggs they have managed to save and protect. The program that focuses on protecting the elderly has experienced a $1.5 Million (or 9% when adjusted for inflation) cut. More cases of elder abuse are likely to go uninvestigated. Fewer Guardians may be granted to Massachusetts most vulnerable elders.
8. Council on the Aging
The Council on the Aging sponsors locally focused programs that provide a variety of recreational and support service to elders. Adjusted for inflation this has been cut 11% since 2009. This year, it experience an almost Million Dollar cut in funding.
9. Geriatric Mental Heal & family Caregivers programs eliminated
This is a quarter of a million dollar program that has been entirely eliminated in the 2011 budget.
10. Home Care of the multi-Disabled
28% of the budget since 2009 for this program has been cut (adjusted for inflation). This program provides funding for home care of the multi-disabled, enabling a higher quality of life for those with multiple disabilities, who would otherwise be forced into institutional care.
If you have any concerns about how these cuts will affect you, contact our Elderlaw Attorneys at http://www.cohenoalican.com
Monday, March 14, 2011
Top 10 Most Important Cuts to MassHealth for Seniors, the Disabled, and their Families
Continued from March 7th 2011
Here are the major cuts that impact our clients. The following is a link that has a more inclusive list of budget cuts..
http://www.massbudget.org/documentsearch/findDocument?doc_id=614&dse_id=1293
1. Restorative Dental Care
700,000 adults relied on MassHealth for restorative dental care in 2010. Just over 18% were seniors.
2. Reduction in Hours for Day Services to Disabled Adults
Coverage for day services has been cut from six to five hours a day.
3. Personal Care Attendant Services Limited
Many disabled adults require only limited assistance. For instance they might need help getting in and out of bed, dressing and bathing, but are otherwise self sufficient. The 2011 plan establishes a floor. If your need is less than 14 hours a week, you will no longer be eligible.
4. Prescription Advantage Cuts
$26 Million has been cur tom the Prescription Advantage program, Some low income elderly will no longer have subsidies for the portion of their prescription drug costs not covered by Medicare Part D.
5. Respite Services Cut
$12.7 Million in funding will be cut for respite and intensive family support services. These services support the family care givers. Giving parents of disabled children, or children of parents with disabilities support and a safety net.
Stay tuned for the last 5 next week…
Monday, March 7, 2011
Top 10 Most Important Cuts to MassHealth for Seniors, the Disabled, and their Families
Introduction
We at Cohen & Oalican feel it is incumbent on us to keep our Elder, and disadvantaged client base abreast of the changes to our state’s Medicaid program, MassHealth in these economically challenging times.
As a result of the recession, politics, changing demographics, and many other factors, there have been some significant cuts to MassHealth, and other Health Reform programs.
Our job is not to comment on politics or right and wrong, but to help our clients who require services to get those services, without compromising their economic status. A large part of this is navigating MassHealth. Appropriate elder law attorney representation is a tremendous safeguard, our advice is to always PREPARE while you or your loved ones are healthy, not REACT. When you are in need of either, please feel free to contact us.
Briefly, Fiscal Year 2011 has seen an increase of less than 3% in funding, at a time when more demands are being placed on the Medicaid system, with healthcare cost inflation (depending on who is doing the estimates) is running anywhere between 5% and 8%. This means that funding, while it has increased, is not keeping up with healthcare inflation, at a time when overall demand on the fund is increasing due to the pure economics of more and more baby boomers retiring, and more and more younger people entering the Medicaid/MassHealth system due to unemployment from the recession.
to continue…
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