Action Alert: New CMS Regulations Hurt Centers for Independent Living

3/13/2008 12:00:00 AM

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration grants to 31 states in 2007. MFP supports individuals in institutions to move to the community, and Targeted Case Management is a critical tool CILs and other organizations use to implement Money Follows the Person locally. Now CMS is using the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 to justify cutting Targeted Case Management. Advocates know this new regulation will only make it more difficult to transition people out of nursing homes! For a summary on the effect of Targeted Case Management regarding Money Follows the Person, see http://www.ncil.org/news/TargetedCaseManagement.html#summary.

It is critical to call your elected members of Congress (Senator Dodd: Phone - (202) 224-2823; Sen. Lieberman: Phone - (202) 224-4041; go to http://www.congress.org to find your Congressional Representatives phone number), your Governor, and your State Medicaid Directors. CMS intends to implement the rule regardless of how many letters we send them directly, so we must now target members of Congress to urge a legislative fix. CMS has gone over-and-above the intent of Deficit Reduction Act cuts and they are using the Targeted Case Management rule change to do policy-making under the radar. We must stop them in their tracks! Please call, fax, email, or write your Congressional Representatives and state elected officials asking them to help stop the out-of-control devastation to individuals and families being attempted by the current Administration by supporting H.R. 5173 & S. 2578!

For further information, please contact Judy Roy at bhamilc1@bellsouth.net or Elizabeth Leef at elizabeth@ncil.org or 202-207-0334 ext 1015.

Your support is needed to preserve and enhance rights and services for people with disabilities and their families. Call your legislators today!

Senate Democrats: 1-800-842-1420

House Democrats: 1-800-842-1902

Senate Republicans: 1-800-842-1421

House Republicans: 1-800-842-1423

ALERT



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