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The Memphis Center for Independent Living Journal

Update on the Community Choices Act

By Randy Alexander

Randy and Metro Police Officer outside Sen. Bill Frist's home in Washington DC. The Community Choices Act has been set-aside for two weeks so that a few groups can come together to work on the bill. I’m not sure if that spells out hope or not. Ya’ll know me, I’m holding out hope. The following is a rough draft set of my notes from watching the meeting online.

I want to APPLAUD Senator Cohen for his support. And not only his presentation of the bill, a job well done, but also his ability to keep this bill going. When you have time send him your thoughts and I wish I could have more quotes from his presentation but I will say he did an excellent job. sen.stephen.cohen@legislature.state.tn.us

Brian McGuire also did a great job speaking on behalf of the bill. This is especially nice since we didn’t have the chance to ask him to be there, since we couldn’t. Thanks Brian. His email. BMcGuire@aarp.org

Now here’s the notes:

The Community Choices Act of 2006, Senate Bill 2861 was in the General Welfare Health and Human Services Committee. Senator Stephen Cohen the bill’s Senate sponsor introduced the bill and did an outstanding job discussing the need and key points in the bill.

A lobbyist from the Tennessee Health Care Association, THCA, a nursing home lobbying PAC commented out of one side of his mouth that they support HCBS. Then out of the other side of his mouth he said, “but THCA does not support this bill because it exceeds the basic tenants of what Tennessee should provide. Each individual can take their full cost of nursing Home dollars to the community and the transitional allowance. All of which ends up costing the state more then if the person stayed in the nursing home” (sorry do not have that individuals name).

(My thought… Of course this lobbyist failed to mention that the individual only uses what they NEED of the full amount, not the full amount.)

Then Senator Cohen asked Brian McGuire, from AARP to discuss the bill. Brian discussed… “This bill is an important piece of what’s missing in our waivers here in Tennessee. AARP is focused on changing rules to keep people out of nursing homes, this bill could literally help thousands to get out of the nursing home.”

THCA Lobbyist then testified “there are 2800 slots in the current waiver and only 800 of them are being used”

Brian McGuire “This Bill helps fill those slots.”

Senator Cohen repeated the need for a more medical based waiver where the current one is more social (Light duty, dressing, bathing, cleaning apartments—my input).

Senator Black discussed the reason why current waivers aren’t full; “when we first started a waiver we defined it so narrowly hardly anyone could use it.”

Senator Henry asked if we could all work together to amend this bill, work together including, Cohen, McGuire, THCA, Randy Alexander.

Senator Cohen discussed that “this bill was brought to him by MCIL and was sure Randy from Memphis could be part of that working group.

MORE INFO COMING SOON!

Free Our People!
www.mcil.org

Randy Alexander
1633 Madison Avenue
Memphis TN 38104
(901) 726-6404

MCIL Journal Index 2006

	Date	Name
	12/30/2006	Reform Commission Issues Final Report
	12/24/2006	HHS Launches New Website Promoting Long-Term Care Planning
	12/20/2006	TennCare Budget
	12/19/2006	COMBATTING AUTISM ACT
	12/15/2006	NCD Commends Adoption of UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities
	12/9/2006	Medicaid Prescription Drug Plan
	12/5/2006	Congress Extends Mental Health Parity Provision for Additional Year
	11/20/2006	Housing Victory - Steve Gold
	11/16/2006	ADAPT NASMD Action.
	11/14/2006	Testimony to the Medicaid Commission by Executive Director John Lancaster.
	11/1/2006	ADAPT CLAIMS ANOTHER VICTORY WITH STARBUCKS!
	10/31/2006	ACTION ALERT: STARBUCKS.
	10/23/2006	Report Refutes Claims of Elections Fraud.
	10/13/2006	You're Invited to MCIL’s Annual Open House & Silent Auction.
	10/6/2006	Housing Vouchers and Money Follows the Person.
	9/22/2006	Rochester ADAPT hits Congressman Kuhl and VP Cheney.
	9/16/2006	No Excuses: ADAPT Action, Washington DC September 2006.
	9/13/2006	ADA Notification Act Hearing.
	9/9/2006	The Evil Bed Tax.
	8/27/2006	Priority Components for Inclusion in a Integrated Managed Care System.
	8/22/2006	MEDICAID LONG TERM CARE DATA.
	8/16/2006	CHALK IT UP!
	8/11/2006	Info for Travelers with Disabilities.
	8/4/2006	Reasonable Accommodations and Federally-funded Housing.
	7/27/2006	NEW EEOC PUBLICATION ADDRESSES EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH HEARING LOSS.
	7/24/2006	Harkin Introduces Bill to Improve Medical Access for People with Disabilities.
	7/23/2006	White House Website Violates Federal Law.
	7/6/2006	Change is Happening: Another Look at FY 2005 MA Expenditures.
	6/30/2006	Alaska Supreme Court Strikes Down Forced Psychiatric Drugging Procedures.
	6/21/2006	McClellan Addresses NCIL.
	6/17/2006	Broadband Legislation Update.
	6/6/2006	Has the ADA Made a Difference in Your Life?
	5/27/2006	Affordable health insurance for low-income and uninsurable people.
	5/23/2006	Nursing Home Waiver in Jeopardy!
	5/17/2006	ADAPT wins concessions from HUD.
	5/12/2006	More Than 50 Million Americans Report Some Level of Disability.
	4/28/2006	Disability Advocates: Texas "Futile Care" Law Should Be Euthanized.
	4/16/2006	I'm Uninsurable and Cover Tennessee Won't Cover Me!
	4/6/2006	Update on the Community Choices Act.
	4/1/2006	3RD Annual Free Yo Momma Day!
	3/30/2006	Where is HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson?
	3/27/2006	Governor's Cover Tennessee plan Fails.
	3/22/2006	From the Nashville ADAPT Action.
	3/10/2006	Shame on The Republican Party.
	2/17/2006	Community Choices Act of 2006.
	2/6/2006	TennCare Reform - By Sen Steve Cohen.
	2/1/2006	ACCESS ACROSS AMERICA.
	1/25/2006	AAPD Final Letter to Senate on Alito Nomination.
	1/20/2006	Microenterprise Training.
	1/17/2006	Disability Activists Criticize Administration and Supreme Court.
	1/10/2006	TennCare Leadership Training.

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