WI Long-Term Care Redesign: Updates
Updated 7/28/16
Today, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced plans to expand Family Care and IRIS programs statewide by beginning of 2018. Read full news release
Updated 6/20/16
By now everyone has probably heard that DHS has withdrawn the Family Care 2.0 proposal. The proposal was sent to the Joint Finance committee who did not take a vote. Below is press coverage from a variety of sources.
Wisconsin Family Care Association. Wisconsin-based MCOs encouraged by DHS's decision to withdraw Family Care and IRIS 2.0
Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition Voices of older adults and people with disabilities were heard
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Scott Walker's administration drops plan to shift Family Care to for-profit insurers
Wispolitics.com: DHS withdraws request for approval on FamilyCare/IRIS changes
Centre Daily Times: http://www.centredaily.com/news/business/health-care/article82952222.html
Star Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/wisconsin-dhs-withdraws-long-term-care-proposal/382473981/
Wisconsin State Journal: Health Services Department withdraws request for changes to state Medicaid programs
DHS Secretary Rhoades letter to JFC withdrawing Family Care/IRIS 2.0 Concept Paper
Save IRIS: Thank you for saving IRIS
DRW Welcomes news that plans for Family Care/IRIS reforms are withdrawn
BPDD Thanks DHS for withdrawing planned changes to Family Care/IRIS
Family Care 2.0 remains at a standstill Rep. Nygren
Darling Statement on Family Care
Erpenbach Statement on Family Care
Taylor Statement on the withdrawal of planned changes to Family Care and IRIS
Hintz Statement on Withdrawal of Changes to FamilyCare and IRIS
Rep. Taylor Commonsense prevails...for now
Statement on long-term care by Speaker Vos
Barca Statement on Long Term Care
http://www.thewheelerreport.com/wheeler_docs/files/0610subeck.pdf
Sargent Statement on Long-Term Care
Rep. Zamarripa Statement on Family Care and IRIS
Wisconsin Health News: On the Record with Lynn Breedlove, Co-Chair of the Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition
Updated 6/10/16
On Thursday June 9th, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services contacted the co-chairs of Joint Finance to withdraw its Concept Plan on Family Care/IRIS 2.0. Read more
Updated 5/12/16
Since the Department of Health Services (DHS) submitted the Family Care/IRIS 2.0 Concept Paper to the Committee on Joint Finance on March 31st, committee members and others have asked a number of questions about why the Department chose to have three separate administrative zones if Family Care/IRIS 2.0 is implemented statewide. DHS has released a new webpage entitled "Family Care/IRIS 2.0: "Why Three?" which has additional information about the topic.
Updated 4/13/16
The Wisconsin Long Term Care Coalition sent a memo to members of the Joint Finance Committee asking them to delay voting on the Family Care and IRIS 2.0 concept paper until they receive additional information or clarification from the Department of Health Services.
Updated 4/12/16:
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has released a summary of the changes made to the Family Care/IRIS 2.0 Concept Paper based on feedback received from public hearings, testimony, and stakeholder meetings regarding the draft of the Concept Paper.
Updated 4/11/16:
The Department of Health Services (DHS) has released a statement regarding its plans to develop a Division of Medicaid Services in hopes of streamlining programs such as Family Care and BadgerCare Plus.
To learn more, check out the statement from DHS.
Updated 4/4/16:
The Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services (DHS) has submitted their concept paper for LTC Redesign ("Family Care/IRIS 2.0) to the Joint Finance Committee of the state legislature. Joint Finance now must consider the paper and vote to accept the redesign proposed by DHS or reject the proposal for continued changes. Joint Finance cannont alter the plan themselves.
To learn more, check out the announcement from DHS.
Updated 3/9/16:
Recordings of public hearings on Concept Paper: On March 7th, DHS held two public hearings on the Family Care/IRIS 2.0 Concept Paper.
Updated 3/2/16
The Department of Health Services released their draft concept paper for Family Care/IRIS 2.0 .
Updated 2/25/16
The Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services sent out a news release today with some details about the proposed redesign of the long-term care system. The news release is in advance of the concept paper scheduled to be released the first week of March. The release includes information about Choice for Members and Quality Measures.
DHS has scheduled two public hearings that will be held March 7, shortly after the concept paper for the redesigned system is released. They will accept written comments until March 7th.
Updated 1/7/16
The Department of Health Services has released its quarterly report updating the Legislature on changes to Wisconsin Long-Term Care.
Click here see the full report.
Updated 8/24/15
Wisconsin Survival Coalition State Budget Summary: The Wisconsin Survival Coalition has put together a detailed summary of the state budget’s impact on the disability.
Updated 7/21/15
InControl State Budget Summary: InControl Wisconsin has created a summary of the key long-term care provisions in the Budget.
Updated 7/14/15
As most of you have heard, Governor Walker signed the budget on July 12th, 2015.
Governor's Message: Here is the Governor's message and the list of things he vetoed. References to IRIS and Family Care can be found on page 33.
Statement from The Survival Coalition: Here is a statement from Survival Coalition on what the budget does with Long Term Care programs, and what the Governor's vetoes may mean.
Survival Coalition Question/Answer Document: The Survival Coalition has released a detailed Question and Answer document on what the state budget means for Long-Term Care in Wisconsin.
Updated 6/4/15
Save IRIS Press Release: Save IRIS issues a press release regarding Long-Term Care Advocacy Day on June 9th.
Survival Coalition Press Release: Survival Coalition has released a side by side comparison of how the Joint Finance Committee’s budget motion would change Wisconsin’s long term care system compared to the Governor’s original proposal.
Updated 5/28/15
On Wednesday May 27th, the Joint Finance Committee voted 12-4 on a motion that pulls the original proposed long-term care changes from the state budget, but includes significant changes to Wisconsin's Family Care/IRIS programs that would begin in 2017.
Changes in the motion include:
- Expands Family Care/IRIS statewide by January 1, 2017.
- Changes the size of regions currently served by Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) so there are no less than 5 regions.
- Requires multiple “Integrated Health Agencies” (IHAs) in each region that can be for-profit insurance companies.
- Lifts the limits on profits and administrative costs on all entities providing Family Care.
- Ends IRIS as a separate Medicaid program, and requires IHAs to have a consumer-directed option that allows developing plans and allows people to select their own providers, thus folding the existing IRIS program into managed care oversight.
- Directs the Department of Health Services (DHS) to consult with stakeholders before final waiver request development, with no details on who those stakeholders would be or how they would be consulted.
- Retains Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) and require DHS to evaluate the functional screen and options counseling reliability and consistency across ADRCs and require DHS to study ADRC governing boards and provide a report on proposed changes to the requirements of boards to remove duplication.
The motion also provides no assurances that elements of the existing waivers will remain unchanged. For example, there is no language saying service types or levels will remain the same.
Next Steps
The full Legislature still has to vote on the entire state budget.
Contacting legislators with your thoughts about the changes is still timely.
Resources:
- To locate your legislator, use the "Find My Legislator" feature on the WI Legislature Site.
- Contact information for members of the Joint Finance Committee.
Updated 5/26/15
Autism Society of Wisconsin Press Release: The Autism Society of Wisconsin issued a press release supporting preserving the existing long-term care system.
Save IRIS Press Release: Save IRIS makes final plea to the Joint Finance Committee to pull changes to long-term care from the Budget and to keep IRIS as a separate Medicaid waiver program
Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities Press Release: The WI BPDD issued a statement supporting the Fiscal Bureau option to preserve existing long-term care system.
Autism Society of South Central Wisconsin Press Release: The Autism Society of South Central Wisconsin issued a press release supporting preserving the existing long-term care system.
The Survival Coalition Press Release: The Wisconsin Survival Coalition issued a statement supporting the Fiscal Bureau option to preserve existing long-term care system.
People First Wisconsin Press Release: People First Wisconsin issued a press release supporting preserving the existing long-term care system.
The Long-Term Care Coalition Press Release: The Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition issued a press release calling for all changes to long-term care to be from the budget.
Updated 5/22/15
People First Wisconsin Press Release: People First Wisconsin issued press statement asking Legislature to support current Long Term Care system in Wisconsin, and to include self-advocates in any plans to make future changes.
Updated 5/20/15
WI Long-Term Care Coalition Press Release: WI Long-Term Care Coalition calls out latest info from Legislative Fiscal Bureau showing current long-term care system in WI is reducing costs.
Save IRIS memo to Joint Finance Committee: Save IRIS sent a memo to the Joint Finance Committee asking them to preserve IRIS as a separate Medicaid Waiver.
Updated 5/17/15
Save IRIS Press Release: Save IRIS responds to the Joint Finance announcement about long-term care.
The Wisconsin Survival Coalition Press Release: The Survival Coalition's response to the Joint Finance announcement about long-term care.
Disability Rights Wisconsin Press Release: Disability Rights Wisconsin responds to the Joint Finance announcement about long-term care.
Updated 5/14/15
Joint Finance Committee Press Release: Members of the Joint Finance Committee made an announcement about proposed long term care changes in the state budget. They announced that they are pursuing limited reforms with strong legislative oversight.
Updated 5/7/15
Save IRIS Press Release: Save IRIS issued an updated press release about what they've been doing.
Updated 5/6/15
Aging & Disabilities Professionals Association of Wisconsin Press Release: More than 35 County Boards across the state have passed resolutions requesting Wisconsin’s legislature take Aging & Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) and Long-Term Care changes out of the proposed state budget. There are also 19 more Country Boards prepared to vote on such resolutions in May 2015.
Updated 5/5/15
Wisconsin's Long-term Care Coalition: Resources regarding the long-term care system and what you can do about the proposed Wisconsin Budget.
Updated: 4/12/15
Governor Walker has issued his biennial budget proposal for 2015. There are several ways this will impact people with disabilities in Wisconsin. Here are some links to help understand how this will affect the disability community:
Governor Walker's Budget Proposal: This is a link to the entire budget proposal from Governor Walker.
Press release from Disability Rights Wisconsin regarding the Governor's Budget Proposal: Disability Rights Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization that works to ensure the rights of all state citizens with disabilities through individual advocacy and system change.
Survival Coalition's press release regarding the Governor's Budget Proposal: The Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations is a cross-disability coalition of more than 40 state and local organizations and groups. For more than 20 years, Survival has been focused on changing and improving policies and practices that support people with disabilities of all ages to be full participants in community life.
Survival Coalition's press release regarding proposed changes to WI Long-Term Care System: The Survival Coalition has issued a statement about the proposed changes on Wisconsin's Long-Term Care System.
Survival Coalition's FAQ regarding the Budget Proposal: The Survival Coalition has put together a Question and Answer about how the budget proposal would affect people with disabilities.
Analysis of the Governor's Budget Proposal (by Survival Coalition)
Interview on Wisconsin Public Radio with Beth Swedeen from BPDD: An advocate for those with disabilities discusses her concerns with some of the governor's budget proposals.
Wisconsin State Budget Briefing: Watch a webinar with John Shaw, BPDD, and Lisa Pugh, DRW, on how the 2015-2017 WI state budget impacts people with disabilities.
Save IRIS website and the Statement from the Save IRIS Coalition
The "New 2017 Family Care" graphic: Developed by the Save Wisconsin Long Term Care Coalition, this graphic provides a quick picture of what long term care will look like if the Governor's Budget Proposal is approved.
Disability Advocacy Day Press Release (by Survival Coalition)
Fact Sheet from the Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition: The Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition is made up of aging and disability advocates, managed care organizations, Aging & Disability Resource Centers, county government, and long-term care providers.
Press Release from the Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition
IRIS and ADRCs Briefing: Disability Rights Wisconsin along with AARP, BPDD and People First facilitated information briefings at the capitol about Wisconsin's long-term care system.
Family Care and Family Care Partnership Briefing: Disability Rights Wisconsin along with AARP, BPDD and People First facilitated information briefings at the capitol about Wisconsin's long-term care system.
