Tax foes raise $3.5M Group seeks to kill beverage tax, which helps pay for Dirigo

AUGUSTA -- Fed Up With Taxes, the group behind Question 1 on the Nov. 4 ballot, has raised $3.5 million to fund a campaign to overturn taxes on beer, wine, soda and other flavored drinks, according to campaign finance reports filed Friday. Fed Up With Taxes, which is backed by beverage companies, convenience store owners and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, is spending money on advertisements, tracking polls, T-shirts and campaign signs. On the other side of the question, Health Coverage for Maine has raised almost $190,000. During this reporting period, their biggest contributor was the Maine State Employees Association, which gave $10,000. Health Coverage for Maine is a coalition that includes AARP, the AFL-CIO and the Maine Medical Association. The group has received a total of $9,400 in in-kind services from Ursus Media Group, of Waterville, which produced advertisements for the campaign. One week from today, voters will be asked to decide Question 1, which reads: "Do you want to reject the parts of a new law that change the method of funding Maine's Dirigo Health Program through charging health insurance companies a fixed fee on paid claims and adding taxes to malt liquor, wine and soft drinks?" Fed Up With Taxes got its major contributions in October from: *Coca-Cola: $655,058 *Maine Beer and Wine Wholesalers: $350,000 *Pepsi: $172,715 *Anheuser-Busch Co.: $120,000 Susan Cover -- 620-7015 scover@centralmaine.com Kennebec Journal, Tuesday, October 28, 2008 I urge you to look at who is contributing money to the vote yes on Question 1 campaign and consider this. . .do these companies and corporations stand to lose anything? No. Do the folks on Dirigo and those waiting to get on it stand to lose? Yes.

Labor Walk in Brewer

The Eastern Maine Labor Council is hosting a Labor Walk this Saturday, Nov. 1 from 9 - 11:30. Breakfast will be available starting at 8:30. Join Maryanne Turowski and Jimmy Cook from MSEA. I encourage 771 members in the Bangor area who can make it to turnout in support of your union and labor in general. The Eastern Maine Labor Council is located at 20 Ivers Street in Brewer. For more information, call 989-4141.

Direct-care workers need insurance; vote ‘no’ on 1

I have been following the recent debate surrounding Dirigo. I’m a direct-care worker and help keep elderly folk living in their homes. I don’t make tons of money and have no health insurance through my job. My husband and I buy our own catastrophic coverage so we won’t lose our house if one of us gets sick. It doesn’t cover much, but I’m healthy. However, I’ve lived with the threat of cancer my whole life. If I were to learn that I might have cancer, I will have to leave my job in search of one with health insurance. Right now, there is a shortage of direct-care workers in our state to care for our elderly and disabled because workers are leaving their jobs and new people are not coming in. If health insurance were in the picture, maybe direct-care workers could afford to stay at their jobs – and maybe younger people would think about direct care as an opportunity. For the past two years, the Direct Care Worker Coalition has been working with the legislature to amend Dirigo so that it would work better for direct-care workers. Our efforts failed due to the lack of funding for Dirigo. Repealing a potential funding source in the beverage tax for the state’s only health insurance plan is not the answer. I hope voters will vote NO on Question One in November and our elected officials take health insurance on as a top priority next year. We need it. Letter to the Editor, published Wednesday, October 29, 2008; Kennebec Journal submitted by Helen Hanson

Join fellow MSEA-SEIU members at KVO's Annual Conference

Sunday, November 16, 4-6pm A delicious soup and bread supper to follow! Centenary United Methodist Church 112 Dr. Mann Road, Skowhegan We hope members, friends and allies will all join us for our annual convention in just over two weeks, where we will: * Celebrate our progress in the past year on health care issues and creating the Mid Maine Time Bank; * Honor Fr. Moe Morin and Rev. George Hodgkins, Jr. - two leaders who have been active in KVO since before our Founding Event but have sadly left our Valley; * Hear from a keynote speaker on health care (TBA); * Recognize our many donors, sponsors, and volunteer fundraisers who are helping to make our fundraising campaign a success; * Conduct the important business of the organization, including electing officers and board members and ratifying our issue priorities; * Have fun, reconnect with old acquaintances, meet new people, enjoy some free babysitting (please call to let us know if you plan to bring kids), savor a delicious meal, talk about the 2012 election (just kidding). Look for more information and flyers to come soon. Start spreading the word!

HCAN ACTION UPDATE: 96 calls to Maine Senators

KVO leaders and our partners in the Maine HCAN coalition answered the call on last Wednesday's national health care call-in day, creating a groundswell of nearly 100 phone calls to our Senators' offices voicing the need for health care reform in the 2009 session. We generated as many calls as the rest of the New England states combined... Thanks to all who called in - it really does make a difference!

Comparison of Democrat vs Republican Health Care Plans

The Democratic Platform The underlying principles set out in the Democratic platform’s section on health care begins with making sure every man, woman and child has access to quality, affordable health care. It also includes: Affordable quality health care is essential to making workers productive and businesses competitive; Affordable coverage should be subsidized through tax credits and other means; Health care coverage should be a shared responsibility between the worker, employers, insurers, providers and government; Disparities in health coverage should be ended among minorities and low-income people; Americans should have a choice between keeping their private coverage and public health plans; and Government should ensure that all Americans should have meaningful and affordable coverage. The Democratic plan also addresses the need to build a strong health care workforce, specifically mentioning direct-care workers as part of that workforce. The Republican Platform The Republican platform calls for: Disease prevention programs and health information technology to improve care; Individual choice of plans and providers; Malpractice reform; Rewarding good providers; Cost containment through competition; Funding medical research; Providing tax credits to families to purchase insurance, including Health Savings Accounts and high-deductible health plans; and Financing expanded coverage by taxing employee benefits. Conclusions While many details are yet to be worked out for both of these platforms, the principles outlined in the Democratic platform line up best with what HCHCW has found works best in expanding coverage to low-income direct-care workers and their families. Specifically, HCHCW has found, health care plans must be: Accessible to all individuals regardless of their family, their employment status, or how many hours they work; Affordable for workers and their employers, with limited cost sharing for workers earning low wages; and Adequate, with a full range of benefits and individual services to protect older workers, whose with chronic health conditions, and injured workers. For more information on the essential elements of a health care plan for the direct-care workforce, read Expanding Coverage for Caregivers: A Checklist for State Health Care Reform (pdf). Allison Lee National Campaign Manager ALee@phinational.org response from the Direct Care Alliance's Roy Gedat I actually know people here in the USA who have died because they could not afford timely care and put off going to the doctor till it was too late. The greatest irony is that people who provide home and institutional health care are too often uncovered by our broken system. How many people are dying in the UK and Canada because they are waiting for common surgeries? Hopefully the USA will someday join the rest of the world and assure every citizen the health care they need. I think we need to get the profit out of health care all together. We can bail out the mortgage companies…. why can’t we have a comprehensive health care system that works?

We, Here in Maine, Are Not Alone . . .

Pennsylvania State Senate Lets Health Care Plan Die The Pennsylvania Senate leadership did not allow a vote on any health care bills before leaving Harrisburg for the year, therefore precluding a vote on Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care (PA-ABC), a health care reform bill that would have provided health care and prescription drug benefits to more than 250,000 uninsured Pennsylvanians, including direct care workers. Since the House approved PA-ABC last spring, the Senate has repeatedly criticized the plan for its failure to secure a long-term funding source beyond five years. More recently, as state revenues decreased and the economy collapsed, Senators were hesitant to support a major expansion of a public program like PA-ABC. The Health Care for Health Care Workers Campaign, along with other allied organizations, advocated that the possibility of having to cut funding for PA-ABC in five years should not deny thousands who need reliable health care now. Funding for PA ABC was to come from health account surpluses, smokeless tobacco taxes, and federal Medicaid spending. PA-ABC failed not because of lack of funding but because special interest groups refused to support it. By providing affordable health insurance, PA-ABC would have created a way for uninsured direct care workers to get treatment that they may have delayed and allowed them to begin a pattern of primary care and prevention. Our entire health care system would have become more efficient as a result. The Health Care for Health Care Workers Campaign will continue to work on this issue until meaningful health care reform becomes a reality. We encourage all direct workers, providers, and consumers in Pennsylvania to express their disappointment to their state Senators. You can reach your Senator by going to http://www.legis.state.pa.us/ and plugging in your zip code. Tracy Lawless Pennsylvania State Campaign Coordinator Health Care for Health Care Workers tlawless@phinational.org One Response from a CNA/Nursing Student I believe that all people should have the basic human right to recieve the medical care that they need. I also think that the unfortunate people who get an expensive disease like cancer shouldn't have to lose their house, and go into absolute financial ruin to recieve this care. As a future nurse and CNA, I agreed with Barack Obama's analysis that many uninsured or underinsured are forced to go to the ER at astronomical costs for ailments that could be more appropriately be adressed often at an urgent care facility for 100 or 150$. Taxpayers absorb this cost in either scenario…I would rather these people have some coverage and pay 100-200$ then the ER fees. I would be hard pressed to vote for any republican today, despite the fact that dems are not perfect either. I dont think republicans make decisions unless it lines their pocket with money these days. I could never support a candidate that will not help poor people. It is a joke that people expect someone with 2 kids earning 9 dollars an hour at mcdonalds who has to pay for childcare, rent, etc could ever get out of that situation without help. Employers like that try to keep the worker just under the hours required so that they don't have to give them insurance. I pose a question that I would like anyone that wants to, to address. I am a college student, a senior in a nursing program which is 32 hours per week minium class time plus many hours of homework required. I also work as much as I can, usually another 24-32 hours. I cannot work 40 so I cannot get healthcare. I am 28 years old. My choice then is between getting a degree so that i can improve my future or working full time so that i can go to the doctor if i get sick. This is a huge loophole that no one seems to notice. I think that someone like me who is working almost full time and doing full time school should be allowed to go to the doctor if they get sick! (I think all people should be able to go to the doctor if they get sick!) It is a FACT that a large percentage (I think up to 80%) of those uninsured are hard working middle class people! My final point is that healthcare workers work with people that are in the most frail state of health. PA is has the 3rd largest elderly population in the nation. Elderly people have weaker immune systems then younger people. Healthcare workers must be able to get treatment for their sicknesses so that they do not bring that into the nursing home or hospital where they work! It would probablly save money too for us to be able to go to a 100$ dollar office visit versus having an elderly person get sick and have to go to the hospital for thousands of dollars. At the county nursing home that I work, you may not call off sick unless you have a doctors note more then 3 times per year. Many workers just come into work sick rather then lose their job. Keep up the job PHI! While I am deeply sad that this healthcare bill failed, I believe that one day soon this legislation will pass! I got this in an email newsletter from Carol Regan at PHI. Thanks Carol! It is great to see that we DCWs here in Maine are not alone in our struggle to gain health insurance.

Home Care for Maine's RFP Appeal Hearing

This has previously been posted on Wednesday, 10/22; thought I'd post it again FYI. Thanks! Today was Home Care for Maine's appeal hearing on the Homemaker Services contract that was awarded to Catholic Charities of Maine. The morning started off by hearing testimony from Mollie Baldwin, Home Care for Maine's CEO. She was crossed examined by the State and by Catholic Charities attorneys. After a recess for lunch, Vicki Mihalik, HCM's program director, provided testimony on behalf of Home Care for Maine. She was also cross examined by the State and Catholic Charities attorneys. The State presented its testimony and that took the remainder of the afternoon as it's witnesses were cross examined by Home Care for Maine's and Catholic Charities'. Catholic Charities did not present its case as the session ran out of time.They will at a following session continuing the RFP hearing in November. Sometime during the week of November 17th will be the next hearing with Catholic Charities presenting its case. As soon as I know the date and time, I'll post it. I found this to be a very interesting day. I learned a lot about this RFP process that our agency goes through when it puts a proposal out to be a service provider. This particular RFP was with the Office of Elder Services. On another note, Mollie did tell me that we workers will get our quarterly stipend, even with the reduction in hours we've recently gone through with our homemaking cases. That's some good news I'm happy to pass along. As soon as I get the date for the next RFP hearing, I'll post it.

For elders, staying independent can be difficult as care needs increase

Staff photo by Thomas Michael Corcoran GLAD TO BE HOME: Jeannette Ross sits in her wheelchair in her kitchen in Waterville on Saturday night. Ross didn’t mind a recent stay in the hospital, but when it became longer than she expected, she became irritated. WATERVILLE -- Jeannette Ross didn't mind going into the care facility at first.

Ross, an 85-year-old Waterville native, had gone through two hip operations and was grateful for the medical and physical-therapy assistance she received in the skilled unit -- the section where patients with more profound or immediate medical needs are housed -- of the establishment.

But after three months of rehabilitation, Ross no longer needed the same level of medical attention. That's when they moved her to the long-term care section of the facility.

Ross was not happy about the move.

"You might as well die to live in there," she said. "The people are there because they can't do anything for themselves, and they sit around in their chairs like there is no tomorrow. They wanted to put me in there, because they didn't think I was able to go home."

Ross, though, managed to get out.

Today she lives at home, in a Waterville apartment her brother owns. She is able to live independently with the help of two direct-care workers who provide 29 hours of assistance a week. That enables her to tend to flowers and do her cooking and live her life the way she sees fit.

Ross said she feels sorry for those in institutional care.

"Home is where you want to be as long as you have health," she said. "I'm lucky to have the women to help me. You don't want to leave your home and go somewhere else to live if your mind is still alert. As long as my mind is alert, with the help from the girls, I should be able to stay home. Nobody wants to leave their home. Nobody."

Funding discrepancy

The AARP Public Policy Institute examined how states use Medicaid money to fund long-term care services and support for older people and adults with physical disabilities.

What the institute found nationally is that funding favors institutions over home and community based care by about a 3 to 1 margin.

The same proportion held true in Maine. In 2006, Maine spent $78 million on home and community based care, while using $247 million on nursing homes.

Lenard W. Kaye, director of the University of Maine Center on Aging, said government is beginning to awaken to the value of home care for the elderly, but acknowledged that a funding imbalance remains between that option and institutional care.

"The amount of dollars set aside to fuel those programs," he said of support services to families, "is limited and continues to be a very small percentage of the long-term care budget compared to institutional settings."

On the other hand, the number of Medicaid patients in Maine who opted for home or community-based programs grew dramatically between 1999 and 2004, according to the AARP Public Policy Institute.

In 1999, the number stood at 935,160. By 2004, the total had jumped to 1,337,010, an increase of more than 400,000.

Medicaid patients in nursing homes, in contrast, grew by only 91,877, rising from 1,615,695 to 1,707,572.

Service shortage

The Blue Ribbon Commission to Study the Future of Long-term Home-based and Community-based Care is an effort to better meet the needs of those trying to care for elderly loved ones.

But one of the chief problems is finding enough money to meet the demand.

At a meeting last month in Augusta, the commission said 657 people are on a waiting list for homemaker services and 685 are on hold for home-based care services.

Yet a study by the state Office of Elder Services revealed that the average monthly cost for a Medicaid-eligible person in a nursing home is nearly $4,000 compared to $1,686 for a person who received assistance at home.

Jeanne Allen, a certified nursing assistant, is one of the professionals who helps Ross remain independent in her Waterville apartment.

Allen said she stays in the profession because she sees it as a calling. But she realizes that she tends to be the exception. Many CNAs and direct-care workers abandon the profession because of the low pay and lack of benefits.

"I'm just a different breed of CNA," Allen said, "because I really, really care about the people I take care of."

Allen said she knows many direct care agencies have high turnover rates. She said she knows of one that lost eight workers in one day.

"We have a serious shortage of long-term care workers in part because we have not made the career path very attractive," Kaye of the Center on Aging said. "Salaries are low, opportunities for advancement limited, and the benefits are less than you'd like to see them -- and the work is hard."

Family bonds

Joanne Miller runs a home care agency as well as a company, Homeshare Inc., that runs two community-based houses for older adults -- one in Owls Head, the other in Cushing.

The idea, she said, is to provide the elderly with an environment that is more like a home than an institution. Tenants contract with a separate agency for medical and personal services.

"I believe this is the wave of the future," Miller said. "I'd like to see a homestead in every community. These people become like a family unit. They care about each other."

So far, though, the homesharing opportunities are limited because there are no public dollars to support such approach, she said.

Her clients, she said, are people with enough financial resources to afford the rent. Most also have private health insurance to help them pay for any medical or personal services they need to access.

Several decades ago, back when extended families were more likely to live in one area, multiple generations within a family were more likely to live under the same roof.

Miller said that arrangement made for a healthier, happier society. That is a model of long-term care, she said, that society needs to embrace once more. "We have to start paying attention to what is really important," she said. "We have to value old age. Our old people should be revered, respected and taken care of. That is what we need to get back to. This can't be a burden. This can't be a chore. This has to be a labor of love."

Colin Hickey -- 861-9205 Morning Sentinel Sunday, October 19, 2008

Skowhegan political rally planned

This is from the Morning Sentinel "Updates" section posted on Friday Oct. 24 By Darla Pickett Morning Sentinel Staff Writer October 24, 2008 SKOWHEGAN --State and national candidates will rally in Skowhegan Saturday night to talk about the economy and the needs of the middle class, according to Brad Saucier, spokesman for the Maine State Employees Association. Soucier said Republicans and Democrats have been invited to join a 7 p.m. rally and candlelight vigil on Water Street in the downtown and then move to the Sun Rayz Tanning building on Water Street for a 7:30 p.m. press conference. Speakers are expected to include U.S. Senate candidate Tom Allen, State Rep. Philip Curtis, House 85 candidate Jeffrey McCabe, state house candidate Paul Gilbert, state senate candidate Robert Sezak and several small business owners who will talk about how to help the middle class in today's economy. "The purpose of bringing candidates together is to hear their plans for fixing the economy and supporting the middle class," Bruce Hodsdon, president of the rally's sponsor - Maine State Employees Association, Local 1989 of the Service Employees International Union - said in a prepared statement . "It's great to have candidates from both major parties participating in this event." The Maine State Employees Association represents over 15,000 Maine workers, including employees of the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Child Development Services, Governor Baxter School for the Deaf, Alpha One, Home Care for Maine and Child Care Providers statewide. MSEA-SEIU is affiliated with the 2-million member Service Employees International Union.

Why Women Should Vote

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago. Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote. The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote. And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.' Lucy Burns They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air. Dora Lewis They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women. Thus unfolded the'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote. For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms. Alice Paul When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because- -why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining? HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. What would those women think of the way women use, or don't use, our right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum. We are not voting in the numbers that we should be. It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.' Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know. We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote. History is being made.

Home Care for Maine's RFP Appeal Hearing

Today was Home Care for Maine's appeal hearing on the Homemaker Services contract that was awarded to Catholic Charities of Maine. The morning started off by hearing testimony from Mollie Baldwin, Home Care for Maine's CEO. She was crossed examined by the State and by Catholic Charities attorneys. After a recess for lunch, Vicki Mihalik, HCM's program director, provided testimony on behalf of Home Care for Maine. She was also cross examined by the State and Catholic Charities attorneys. The State presented its testimony and that took the remainder of the afternoon as it's witnesses were cross examined by Home Care for Maine's and Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities did not present its case as the session ran out of time. They will at a following session continuing the RFP hearing in November. Sometime during the week of November 17th will be the next hearing with Catholic Charities presenting its case. As soon as I know the date and time, I'll post it. I found this to be a very interesting day. I learned a lot about this RFP process that our agency goes through when it puts a proposal out to be a service provider. This particular RFP was with the Office of Elder Services. On another note, Mollie did tell me that we workers will get our quarterly stipend, even with the reduction in hours we've recently gone through with our homemaking cases. That's some good news I'm happy to pass along. As soon as I get the date for the next RFP hearing, I'll post it.

Support Home Care for Maine's RFP Appeal

Tomorrow's the day. Come and show your support for fellow Home Care for Maine workers, union brothers and sisters that may lose their jobs and the consumers that we serve. The hearing for Home Care for Maine's appeal for the Homemaking Contract is tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 9 am in room 300 of the State Office Building in Augusta.

Ask Senators Snowe and Collins to Support Health Care for All

Congressional Call-In Wednesday, October 22nd

Call Senators Snowe & Collins toll free:

1-888-436-8427

Sample Script:

Hello, my name is ____________ and I live in ___________. I'm calling today because I think fixing the health care system should be the top priority for Congress adn the New President in 2009 and I want to encourage Senator _________ to sign on to the Health Care for America Now campaign. I want to encourage Senator __________ to support guaranteed quality, affordable health care for everyone in Maine and the United States. I'd like Senator ___________ to respond in writing with her position. My address is _________________. Thank you!

Dial again and ask for the other Senator!

HCAN's goal is 100 calls, with your help, we can do it!

The time is now for an American solution that will secure our families' health and a healthy economy.

What is Health Care for America Now?

Health Care for America Now (HCAN) is a national grassroots campaign organizing millions of people in America to win a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all. Our goal is to build a base of grassroots activism and a national movement that will move our Congress and President to pass substantial health care reform that meets our principles in 2009. In Maine, the campaign is led by Maine People's Alliance, MSEA-SEIU, Maine Women's Lobby, Maine Equal Justice Partners, Engage Maine, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Equality Maine, Tengo Voz, Centro Latino, Kennebec Valley Organization, Move On, Maine Education Association and Maine Center for Economic Policy.

More information http://www.healthcareforamericanow.org/

ATTENTION Home Care for Maine DCWs

After much discussion it has been decided that Home Care for Maine will be continuing with our 6 hours of required education for calendar year 2008. This means you MUST have 6 HOURS of education for calendar year 2008. If you were hired in 2008, or completed a PSS or Homemaker course in 2008, you do not need to attend. The following is a list of upcoming Area Meetings. As many of you are aware, several of the past meetings have been cancelled due to the lack of attendance. We will be requiring you to choose and attend one of the following meetings. You will be paid for your time and mileage over 20 miles. Your scheduler will work with you to re-schedule your consumers so that you can meet the educational requirements. All Meetings will cover the same material: 9-12 Infection Control/Body Mechanics; Filling shifts, reporting, OES self direct 12-12:30 Lunch (please bring a bag lunch with you) 12:30 -3:30 Understanding Intake and Funding Sources You must attend all 6 hours. Schedule for remaining Area Meetings for 2008 10/21 South Gardiner Baptist Church, Rt 24/River Road, South Gardiner 10/23 Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, 50 Union Street, Ellsworth 11/4 Bangor Career Center, 45 Oak Street, Bangor 11/12 Mid Coast Community Action, 34 Wing Farm Parkway, Bath 11/19 Portland DHHS Building, 161 Marginal Way, Portland 12/2 Belfast Free Library, 106 High Street, Belfast 12/9 Alfred Town Office, 16 Saco Road, Alfred Please note that the Alfred date has been changed from the previously issued calendar. Also, the meeting in South Gardiner has been added. We have also removed the meeting that was scheduled in Houlton, as there are just four workers in that area who will need the 6 hours training. We will work with these four people individually to get their hours completed.

CMS Issues Final Rule, Empowers Beneficiaries

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a final rule that will allow states to use their Medicaid funds for consumer-directed services without a Medicaid waiver. Many more Medicaid beneficiaries will now be able to take charge of their own personal assistance services instead of having those services directed by an agency. This CMS ruling (pdf 263k) guides participating states to allow Medicaid beneficiaries in need of help with the activities of daily living to hire, direct, train, or fire their own personal care workers. Under the new rule, beneficiaries will have the option to hire qualified family members already familiar with the individual’s needs to perform personal assistance (not medical) services. If a state adopts the plan, beneficiaries could receive a cash allowance to hire their own workers to help with bathing, preparing meals, household chores, and other related services that help a person to live independently. Allotments could also be used to purchase items that help foster independence such as a wheelchair ramp or microwave oven. The beneficiaries also have the option of someone else managing their cash allotment. “This new rule should expand the availability of consumer-directed programs, an important development for consumers interested in taking greater control of their own long term care services,” said PHI National Policy Director Steven Edelstein. “But states must also focus on efforts to build and sustain the direct-care workforce necessary to provide these services to ensure that this choice is real and not an unfulfilled promise.” Enrollment in new state plans is voluntary and the state must also provide traditional agency-delivered services if the beneficiary wishes to discontinue self-directed care. The final rule will take effect November 3. Aaron Toleos, Online Communications Directoratoleos@phinational.org

Home Care for Maine's RFP Appeal Hearing Postponed

The Appeal Hearing scheduled for October 14 has been postponed to Wednesday October 22 at 9 am in Room 300 of the State House. Show your support for fellow workers and our agency by being there, if possible. I know direct care workers have a hard time leaving their consumers, but if you're off that morning and are in the Augusta area, come show your support. This is an appeal hearing, open to the public. There will be no testimony from members of the audience, so no public speaking is involved. Please be there.

771's Blog has reached the 1000th Viewer Mark!

771's Blog has had over 1000 hits since I put the counter on it

back in April 2008!

Thanks everyone for checking it out!

Keep looking at it, it's a good thing!

Central ME CATV to Air KVO Candidates Forum on Health Care

Missed the KVO Candidates Forum on Health Care? No problem! Thanks to Central Maine Community Access TV, you can watch it any night this week. CATV plans to air the event at 7:00pm running at least through Wednesday, on Channel 7 in most of Greater Waterville/Somerset Co, and Channel 11 in Fairfield. I believe it will air at 9pm starting Thursday, but I'll try to send program updates as I get them. The KVO steno pool is working hard to transcribe the responses we got from the 12 State House and Senate candidates, and 2 U.S. Congress candidates' representatives, who were with us last Sunday. The quick summary, though, is that we heard YES from everyone - YES that health care is a basic human right, YES that they will meet with us to work on the long-term care crisis, and YES that there needs to be more accountability and transparency in the private insurance sector. It was an exciting meeting, and Dan hopes to have a more detailed update out to you soon (including a list of participating candidates, and links to the text of their responses.) In the meantime, though, we hope you will try to catch it on TV!