Parent to Parent/Family Voices of Vermont worked diligently to get word of proposed changes out to affected families and professionals, and to help the legislators making the budget understand the impact of their proposals.  Initial premium increases on the table were as high as four times existing levels for some Dr. Dynasaur families.  There was great concern that families would not be able to pay the premiums, and be forced to drop their children’s medical coverage.

Working with other advocates, including the Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights and the Vermont Children’s Forum, we were able to get the appropriations committees to reduce the extent of premium increases and build in some other procedural safeguards.  Senator Dick Sears of Bennington, and others on the Senate Appropriations Committee, worked especially hard on behalf of families to contain increases in Dr. Dynasaur premiums.

Families with incomes below 185% of the federal poverty level will continue to pay no premiums for their children’s Dr. Dynasaur coverage. Beginning July 1st, premiums for families with incomes between 185% and 225% of the computed federal poverty level ($34,040 to $41,400 for a family of four) increased from $20 to $25 per month.  For families with incomes between 225% and 300% of the federal poverty level ($41,400 to 55,200 for a family of four) premiums increased from $24 to $35 per month for households with other health insurance, and from $50 to $70 per month for those with no other health insurance.

Parent to Parent’s staff was disappointed that nearly $84 million dollars of new federal fiscal relief money for Medicaid and other programs, scheduled to be received by Vermont over the next 18 months, was not used to offset premium increases.  Since the money came in very late in the legislative session—just a week before adjournment –the joint budget committee placed the vast majority of these extra funds into reserves for Medicaid and other General Fund programs.   While not providing relief to families this year, this action should help protect against additional cuts or premium increases in the coming year and beyond.

Following wrap up of the budget negotiations, legislative budget writers expressed hope that the changes passed would not result in significant disenrollment. Patricia House, Commissioner of the Department of Prevention, Assistance, Transition, and Health Access (PATH), which administers Medicaid programs in Vermont added: “We will work to implement the new premiums in a way that works for families, and we will very carefully evaluate their impact.”  ©

Eileen Elliott, Deputy Secretary for the Agency of Human Services, was present throughout the legislative hearings.  She concluded: “Many … complain about case coordination, program access, eligibility restrictions and administrative hurdles that appear illogical or even contrary to good public policy. Funding streams and the limitations they pose are frequently mentioned as frustrating good client service. Many … point out the shortsightedness of our lack of early intervention protocols in situations that clearly need them. Now begins the hard work of examining our programs and systems, working with our partners, and listening to our clients to decide where to make improvements.”
 

Regional Meeting Schedule – For more details, contact Regional Advisory Groups through the AHS Reorganization website at http://www.ahsnet.ahs.state.vt.us/council/  September 17:  Middlebury: People of Addison County Together  Barre: Central VT Community Partnership   September 18:  St. Johnsbury:  St. Johnsbury Community Coordinating Council   St. Albans: Franklin/Grand Isle Community Partnership   September 24:  Morrisville: People in Partnership   Rutland: Rutland Regional Board for Family Services  September 25:  Burlington: The Champlain Initiative   Springfield: The River Connection Regional Stakeholder Meetings  October 1:  Hartford: Community Partnership of Orange/Windsor  Bennington: Catamount Partnership for Community Health, Inc.  October  02:  Brattleboro: Alliance for Building Community   Newport: Orleans/Essex Community Partnership

At a recent meeting of advocacy groups with AHS Secretary Charlie Smith, Smith pledged that the process is being designed “to try to get complete consumer input.  We will work together to rethink the way the Agency of Human Services can best serve Vermonters.”  Based on consumer, advocate, employee, and other stakeholder views gathered from July through October 2003, AHS will prepare a report for the legislature by January 15, 2004.

Secretary Smith described a four part process to gather information: surveys, regional and statewide meetings, focus groups and task forces on specific topics, and a web site. As a first step, information is being gathered from surveys distributed to AHS employees; advocates, providers, and contractors; consumers; and educators.  These surveys were distributed in July and early August and collected by August 29, 2003.

Next, 12 large regional meetings are scheduled for September and early October that will gather together all the regional stakeholders, including the schools.  The purpose of these meetings is to collect local perspectives, share indicators about the health of the region and other quantitative data from surveys; gain qualitative data from participants; and summarize and prioritize messages to be represented at a Statewide Conference scheduled for late October.  These meetings are a wonderful opportunity to provide testimony about what works and what doesn’t for families.  (See schedule at left):

Peter Youngbaer of the Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights (of which Parent to Parent/Family Voices is a member) commented, “We cannot urge consumers and family members enough to get involved with their regional partnerships and planning councils (a subset of the partnerships).  These local discussions and forums will inform the statewide discussion and send representatives to the state advisory group.  Get involved with your partnership - contact them, if they haven't contacted you - and soon.”
A statewide conference is scheduled for October 28-29 with participants from the regional partnership forums and other statewide organizations.  The purpose is to share and understand data gathered; find common ground; understand differences; and produce preliminary recommendations. AHS is also planning to assemble a number of task forces to examine problems and recommend solutions, including one to continue the work of the Long Term Care Policy Cluster and Respite Summits Parent to Parent has co-sponsored.
In addition to the regional meetings, topic specific focus groups to gather information from targeted groups of consumers will be scheduled in September and October.  It is highly likely that some of these groups will include topics related to children with special needs (for example autism, or services like nursing and personal care), but as this newsletter goes to press the topics and dates have not yet been determined. Anyone potentially interested in participating in a focus group should contact Kay Van Woert at 985-5668 as soon as possible.
Finally, the AHS will solicit comments via a web site devoted to information on the reorganization.  The address is http://www.ahsnet.ahs.state.vt.us/council/ This site contains up-to-date information on the reorganization process, as well as providing an opportunity to leave public comment.
It is critically important that the Agency of Human Services hears family voices as the agency plans and implements this reorganization. Add your voice today!  ©

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