State Budget, Lawsuit, OMIG, Health Homes and More

February 13, 2012

1. February 14 is the Joint Senate/Assembly Budget hearing on the Governor’s proposed budget for 4/2012 – 3/2013. Doug will testify on behalf of ACL.
a. We support all of the housing development, of course, and the ward and facility closures
b. We will make a case for a Supported Housing Increases;
c. We will join all of our colleagues in calling for reinvestment;
d. We will post our final testimony on the website.

2. ACL did lose the exempt income lawsuit at the appellate level as did TSI- Long Island when they sued. We were not surprised and always thought that this would end up at the next level – the Court of Appeals. However, TSI was not working under authorizing legislation that was passed two years ago. That makes it a much harder lift for us. Our Board and staff will meet with our attorney soon to decide next steps.

3. ACL sent its response to the OMIG’s proposed protocols for rehabilitation services in residential programs.
a. Once they finalize the protocols we expect that they will step up the audits on our programs.
b. James Cox, the Medicaid Inspector General, is coming to the ACL Membership Meeting so SAVE THAT DATE. This will be a big topic of discussion.
c. Also, the OMIG workgroup will meet again on March 22nd. Toni will attend.

4. As most of you know, last year there was enacted a two year, 4% Medicaid spending cap- if the state went over the cap the Commissioner of DOH would be allowed to make cuts. The good news is that through the end of December, the state is $95 million under the spending cap for the state fiscal year. Go to: http://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/regulations/global_cap/monthly/docs/december_2011_report.pdf for the December Report

5. Governor Cuomo has a proposal that would save $90 million annually by taking over the payment of the NYS Supplemental Security Income (SSI) state supplemental from the federal Social Security Administration. The SSI takeover, when fully implemented, will drive down the cost of issuing each monthly supplemental benefit to the 680,000 SSI recipients in New York from $10.94 to under $2.00...

6. The Governor is proposing that the state takeover the growth of local Medicaid costs over the next three years. This will save counties and New York City $1.2 billion over the next five years.

7. MOHAWK VALLEY PSYCH CENTER Ward Closures: Two wards at Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center will be shuttered and a third ward, including about 24 patients, will be moved to Hutchings Psychiatric Center in Syracuse. This is the end of inpatient adult psychiatric services at the psychiatric center in West Utica. But existing state-operated residential non-inpatient services will remain, along with other outpatient services. 70 to 100 jobs will be affected

8. Health Home Update: The Health Home application instructions for the next phase have been enhanced.
Please see the PDF attachment below.
Enhanced table instructions have been placed on-line in application.
The Health Home application is located on the Health Home website, at the bottom of the "Phase In Plan announcement for Health Home Applications." 
http://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/program/medicaid_health_homes/
If an application has already been started and saved, you can obtain the enhanced instructions by re- opening it.
Reminder Instructions for the Application
• Enable cookies on your browser- this prohibits the cookie on your computer that goes directly to your saved application from being cleared
• Complete the application on the same computer and browser that you initially saved it on.
• Click “Save” regularly-
• Bookmark your application web address ( URL) –bookmark in “Favorites “

Category: ACL Updates