Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Show your support for CARE at HOME . . . the Way Life Should Be

There is a rally and press conference scheduled for Monday, Feb. 25th in the Hall of Flags at the State House in Augusta. The rally is to show support for funding in the state budget for home and community based care services. The Homemaker Program through Home Care for Maine is one. The Consumer Directed Home Based Care Program through Alpha One is another. I urge anyone from 771 that can attend to do so. The rally starts at 10:30 am. The press conference starts at 11 am with Representatives Margaret Craven (Lewiston) and James Campbell (Newfield) presenting legislation they are sponsoring to help Maine's disabled and elders. This event is sponsored by The Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging and The Maine Long Term Care Ombudsman Program. Supporting Agencies are: Alpha One, The Alzheimer's Association, AARP, Maine's five Area Agencies on Aging, The Aging and Disability Resource Centers, The Direct Care Alliance, Elder Independence of Maine, Home Care & Hospice Alliance of Maine, Home Care for Maine, Legal Services for the Elderly, Maine Association of Adult Day Services, Maine Personal Assistance Services Association, Personal Support Specialist Provider Network and Western Maine Community Action.

Home Care for Maine Consumers and Fill Ins

"We have to work together to make Home Care for Maine the best agency in the state . . ." Mollie Baldwin, CEO, Home Care for Maine I got this quote from our monthly newsletter. Encourage your consumers to accept a fill in when you are not going to see them for your regular visit. This helps the consumer get all the hours they are entitled to. This also helps our agency. When hours are lost because a consumer does not accept a fill in worker, that leads to lost billable hours that HCM can bill for and that leads to less money the agency receives. That is not good for Home Care for Maine as we face the budget cuts or in the bidding process for the Homemaker Program Contract. Mollie urges anyone with questions to call her. Good idea!

Good News for State Budget

Bangor Daily News Feb. 19, 2008 By Mal Leary, Capitol News Service AUGUSTA, Maine — After getting a lot of bad news recently from the federal government, the state has received some good news — to the tune of $12 million — that will help ease the difficult task of balancing the state budget, according to the Baldacci administration. Health and Human Services Commissioner Brenda Harvey said the Centers for Medicaid Services are allowing the state to file a plan to comply with recently announced Medicaid rule changes instead of requiring that they take effect immediately. The delay until July 1 in the rule implementation involving case management will reduce the cost to the state’s General Fund by about $12 million this fiscal year, Harvey said. "It provides a little more time for the providers to work with us and adjust their systems," she said. "But some rule changes will take effect immediately. For example, there are some things that simply are unallowable — like billing for child welfare or billing for adult protective services, probation and parole — that have an impact on the General Fund, and we are putting those in effect starting March 1." In an interview Friday, Gov. John Baldacci stressed that balancing the budget will be hard — even as he welcomed the rule implementation delay from CMS. "We will get it done, but it won’t be easy," he said. "There are a lot of moving parts to the budget, and this good news from CMS will help." Harvey noted that until CMS acts on Maine’s compliance plan, the state will not know for sure if it will have until July 1 to implement the new rules, which require billing in 15-minute increments by providers. She said both the state and the providers need to change computer programming to change the billing procedure. In an e-mail to all targeted case management providers on Friday, Harvey said: "What this means for you is that you can continue to deliver services until we give you reasonable notice exactly how to transition or end what you do. I know a number of you were about to provide notices to clients and staff." In commenting a few weeks ago on the pending federal changes in Medicaid rules, Baldacci administration officials said the changes could cost the state $45 million through the next 16 months. They also said community losses, including for nonprofit health care providers and schools, could total $141 million over the same period. Baldacci said Friday that while the rule implementation delay will help, the state still faces a huge budgetary impact from the Medicaid changes and he is working with other governors and the state’s congressional delegation to get a delay in all of the rule changes now set for July 1 — or their outright repeal. "This is an issue affecting many states and there is an effort under way to [get] the Congress to act again on this," the governor said. Congress had approved a year’s delay in the rules last December as part of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program legislation. But the SCHIP bill was vetoed by President Bush, and his veto was sustained. Baldacci said the Medicaid rule changes and the softening economy are two causes of the state’s budgetary problems. He said his proposed supplemental budget addresses the currently identified $95 million revenue shortfall, but now the scope of the need is about $99 million more. "This is all still evolving," he said in the interview. "We don’t know what the revenue picture is yet." The state’s revenue forecasting group meets next week to discuss adjustments to revenue estimates, which some lawmakers now believe will be reduced by about $50 million. Baldacci said there are two parallel efforts to identify possible budget cuts that are confusing to the public — and to lawmakers. The Appropriations Committee sent a memorandum to legislative committees seeking ideas for budget cuts that would add up to $99 million, and Finance Commissioner Rebecca Wyke sent a memo asking agencies to scrutinize all of their programs and prioritize them. "Just because they are looking at something does not mean we are going to propose it," Baldacci said. "Yes, the commissioner of corrections looked at closing Longview [a youth correctional facility in South Portland], but that is not going to happen. There are a lot of things being looked at that won’t be part of the solution, once we know what the target is." Some legislative committees expressed concern — and even anger — when several commissioners said last week that they were not in a position to discuss what ideas they had given to the governor. But Baldacci himself expressed frustration about some of the reports the legislative committees are issuing. "All we are getting now is additional requests — more money, more positions, more projects," he said. "Wait a minute. We got to take care of the red ink first." Work on developing the state budget package to address the revenue shortfall slowed last week and will proceed slowly this week, as some committees are not meeting at all. The Appropriations Committee is meeting, and Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, the panel’s co-chairman, said members would be pleased to hear some good news from the federal government. "We’ll take any good news we can get," she said. "We haven’t had much of that this year." Rep. Sawin Millett, R-Waterford, one of the lead GOP members of the committee, agreed. But he said the task facing the committee is still huge and still a moving target. "We’re still going to have a challenge," he said.

MAINE VOICES from Portland Press Herald

Top state earners should pick up slack for cuts Portland Press Herald 2/19 ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Paul Bulger is a resident of Cape Elizabeth. Here's the challenge: Double the amount you get as a federal rebate, and send it to the state. I read with interest Bill Nemitz's column on the plight of foster parents in the face of pending budget cuts to the Foster Care Program in the state ("Who will rescue the lost kids?" Feb. 1). Nemitz describes the struggles and concerns of the Garcia family, who have, over the years, taken in dozens of children abandoned by their families and who now anticipate 30 percent cuts in rates of reimbursement in the Foster Care Program. Al Garcia asks: "What will DHHS do when these kids start showing up on their doorstep?" Indeed. What will they do? I listened to Gov. Baldacci's State of the State speech a couple of weeks back in which he expressed a need to make difficult decisions while still delivering essential services. It must be difficult to take a meat ax to programs that support the neediest, most impoverished, most destitute and underrepresented constituency in our state: our abused and abandoned children. I was approached by a solicitor at the dump last week seeking my signature on yet another petition to cut taxes. I asked him what programs he intended to cut. He looked stunned, as if tax cuts do not require cuts in state-sponsored programs. He could not describe a single service or program to cut. I told him to read the paper. Read the governor's proposals. We already know where the cuts will fall. The cuts will fall on programs that support children and adults with disabilities, the homeless, the elderly, and school programs for the disabled, and housing programs for those who struggle to find decent affordable housing, and medical care for the poor and the elderly. Our budget politics are absolutely shameful. If we can fix a budget problem with an across-the-board cut of 5 percent, why do we have to impose a 30 percent cut on programs supporting the most vulnerable populations in our society? What is government for? The government is us. What are we doing? Where is the outrage? Well, I am outraged, and I intend to put my money where my mouth is. Under the 2008 Congressional Buy My Vote Act of 2008, my family is entitled to a rebate of $2,100 (at least until it gets means-tested out of existence). I will double whatever the federal government sends me and remit it to the state to restore these programs. I ask that the 35,000 richest families in the state do the same. That would be the state's top 10 percent of earners measured in gross earnings. Call it $4,000 per household for 35,000 households for a total of $140 million. These earners can take a $4,000 income tax deduction for their charitable contribution worth at least $1,600 per family at combined state and federal rates. They pay for half of their contribution with their federal rebate, in any case. With the extra money over the biennium, the state can boost its rainy day fund and prepare itself to continue to support essential programs. For these families, the real after-tax out-of-pocket cost is negligible. For my support, and the support of my fellow citizens, all I ask of my governor and my Legislature is real leadership and an intelligent approach to management of the budget. I will wait for the governor's call. As for my fellow contributing citizens, for a very small price, each of those families might help save a life, or several lives, just like the Garcias. What could be more satisfying than that?

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Local 771's First Meeting of 2008

771's first 2008 meeting was held today at MSEA Headquarters in Augusta. Members in attendance were: Joe Berry, 771's Vice President; Helen Hanson, 771's President; Anne Rogerson, 771's Executive Board Liason; Tim Belcher, MSEA-SEIU's Executive Director; Rod Hiltz, Director of Field Services. Items discussed were LD1687 and how that is moving along; the proposed cuts to the Home Based Care and Homemaker Programs; 771's need to elect a new treasurer; all the different training sessions that MSEA is offering; the Area I Caucus to elect delegates to the SEIU Convention at the end of May; the need to set up the Labor Management Committee for Home Care for Maine; the need to get the signature page of HCM's workers' contract finished; 771's blog. LD1687 is the bill to allow Dirigo to insure Direct Care Workers. The Direct Care Worker Coalition is working on this with the Insurance and Financial Services Committee. A hearing was held before the Insurance and Financial Services Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 5. Helen Hanson presented testimony in favor of this bill. She told committee members that many Direct Care Workers do not have health insurance. She said that without it, coupled with low wages, it is "hard to pay for the things you need, such as oil to heat your home and food to feed your family, routine check-ups and yearly medical exams to help keep you healthy." This testimony was presented on behalf of 771 membership and MSEA's affiliation with the Kennebec Valley Organization. To date, IFS has tabled the bill in order to look into funding Dirigo further. The DCWC was very pleased at this as it left the bill to be worked on further, instead of voting it down completely. As we all know, our Home Based Care Program through Alpha One is facing a $2 million cut and our Homemaker Program through Home Care for Maine is facing a $800,000 cut. Helen Hanson, local president, presented testimony in opposition to both cuts before a joint session of the Appropriations and Health and Human Services Committees on Thursday, Feb. 7. This testimony was presented on behalf of all Local 771's membership. Yes, 771 has lost its treasurer, Leslie Hickey. Due to outside circumstances, she is no longer able to fill these duties. Is there anyone in 771 that is interested in filling this position? Please contact Steve Butterfield II or Rod Hiltz at Headquarters (1-800-452-8794) and we'll hold another election. MSEA is offering a meriad of training in the upcoming weeks. (See Dates to Remember at right) All chapter officers of MSEA locals need to attend an Officers' Training. There are four training sessions throughout the state. Wellstone is training for political action. In order to attend this, you need to register at Headquarters. In March, MSEA-SEIU's Labor Management Training will take place at the Augusta Civic Center. This is for MSEA-SEIU members serving on Departmental or Statewide Labor Management Committees within the Executive Branch. Members serving on these committees in other bargaining units are welcome to participate but are not eligible for organizational leave unless they make individual arrangements with their supervisor. Where Home Care for Maine workers will have a Labor Management Committee, I strongly urge you to attend if you're interested in sitting on this committee. Please contact Headquarters in order to register. Article 6 of Home Care for Maine's contract states that HCM workers and management will establish a Labor-Management Committee. We are entitled to have 4 representatives, fellow workers, and 4 representatives from management that are appointed by the union. Workers who sit on the committee will be compensated for 2 hours of pay from HCM and for mileage from the union. The committee is to meet quarterly and will deal with the day to day concerns regarding the workplace. Anyone interested in serving on this committee please contact Steve Butterfield II at Headquarters. Home Care for Maine's contract has not been printed yet because the folks involved with the contract negotiations have not signed the signature page. Lastly, the next meeting for MSEA Local 771 is scheduled for Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 4:30 at MSEA Headquarters in Augusta. I hope everyone reading this can attend.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Dozens protest cuts in human services budget

from the Portland Press Herald 2/8 Speakers describe their experiences to illustrate how much they rely on the state help they get. By SUSAN M. COVER, Blethen Maine News Service AUGUSTA — Dozens of people came to the State House on Thursday to protest proposed cuts in several parts of the state's human services budget, including help for the deaf and those who rely on home care. They came in wheelchairs and brought their guide dogs. They spoke passionately through interpreters. They described their experiences with state services as a way to illustrate how much they rely on the help they get. "I have no idea what my life would look like today without this program," said Bill Bouffard of Westbrook, who suffered a spinal cord injury that left him a quadriplegic when he was 17. Bouffard and others benefit from a state program that sends aides to their homes to help with tasks such as personal care, cooking and cleaning. The state is proposing to cut funding for the program by $2 million, which would affect 130 to 140 people. At Thursday's hearing, the Legislature's Appropriations Committee listened to consumers who would be affected by cuts in the proposed supplemental budget. Gov. John Baldacci proposed the cuts when state revenue to support the $6.3 billion state budget came in $95 million under initial estimates. On Thursday, lawmakers were starting to consider an additional reduction in the budget that could require them to cut $99 million more. Rather than continue to make cuts to individual programs, Sen. Joseph Brannigan, D-Portland, told the Department of Health and Human Services that he wants a list of big cuts to major services, such as discontinuing hospital payments, closing mental health hospitals, and cuts to services for children and the elderly. Those who came to the State House this week are worried about the first $95 million in cuts, however. Several people who are deaf testified before the committee to protest proposed cuts to the multicultural services account. DHHS Commissioner Brenda Harvey said the cuts are designed to affect the administration, not the services, of the program. Many who testified said they worry about the loss of available interpreters, particularly those who help deaf people who are mentally ill. Christine Holler of Portland spoke for many when she signed the words "slap in the face." "I feel if the Legislature cuts these funds it is a slap in the face," she said through an interpreter. "I ask you to think. Where is your heart?"

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Consumer Testimony opposed to Homemaker Program Cuts

This is testimony gathered from Home Care for Maine's consumers who will be affected by the proposed cuts to the Homemaker Program. Some of Maine's "most vulnerable citizens". . . www.mseaseiu.org/videos.html This testimony is presented today, Feb. 7th, before a joint session of the Appropriations and Department of Health and Human Services Committees. I urge 771 members to contact their legislators and let them know how these cuts will affect their consumers. I also urge members of 771 to get their consumers involved by having them call their legislators and voicing their concern about these cuts. Links are posted to the right of this column with information about the Maine Legislature and getting in touch with you representatives and senators.