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-- Programs and Services -- Contact Information "Elders well served by Berkshire County Legislative Team"
"A legislative update"
By Robert P. Dean, Executive Director
During the past year, the elders of Berkshire County have once again been well served by their elected representatives in both the House and Senate. Senator Andrea Nuciforo, and Representatives Daniel Bosley, Shaun Kelly, Peter Larkin, and William “Smitty” Pignatelli have been steadfast in their support of elder issues. We are fortunate to have such a committed and dedicated legislative team representing Berkshire County. As we go to press, the budget for fiscal year 2005, which began July 1, 2004, is just about finalized. Funding for most elder programs has either been level funded or increased. Of particular note is the Prescription Advantage Plan, which is the state-funded insurance plan that enables many elders and disabled persons to afford to purchase their prescription medications. Prescription Advantage has been funded at $110 million for fiscal year 2005, which represents an increase of $14 million from last year’s $96 million funding level. There will be open enrollment from September 1 to September 30, 2004, which will make it possible for additional elders to be able to afford their prescription medications. We are also pleased that the Councils on Aging, which provide so many vital services and supports to elders, will receive desperately needed increased state funding in fiscal year 2005, and that the legislature overrode the Governor’s veto of the human services salary reserve line item so that human services workers across the state will receive a much deserved salary increase.
One program that received level funding for fiscal year 2005 is the successful Community Choices Initiative, which began as a pilot program in November 2002. This past June, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs submitted a report to the legislature regarding this initiative, which provides an enriched package of community-based services designed to enable frail elders who are Medicaid-eligible to avoid or delay nursing home placement. According to the Elder Affairs report, the statewide Choices caseload exceeds 500 elders a month and continues to grow. On average, Choices clients are 83% female and 17% male. Nearly one third (32%) of those served are age 85 or older, while only 7% are between the ages of 60 and 64. As a result of the Choices program Elder Services is able to provide an enriched service package at a higher level than was previously available through our other programs. An enriched service package may include such services as case management, assistance with personal grooming, dressing, toileting, laundry, meal preparation or housework, heavier cleaning, adaptive equipment, transportation, Meals on Wheels, supportive day programs, and companionship. To be eligible for the Community Choices program, one must be over age 60, eligible for Medicaid, at imminent risk of nursing home placement, and have either a significant cognitive impairment, an inability to manage or self-administer one’s prescribed medications, frequent episodes of incontinence, or a need for daily supervision and assistance with activities of daily living such as dressing, grooming, or toileting. The Community Choices program has been a great success.
We are pleased that the legislature has approved language that expands the income eligibility criteria of the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waiver Program so that more elders will be eligible to receive a higher level of service comparable to that provided by the Community Choices Program. This language provides that the income eligibility criteria for the Waiver program, which is a federal-state program that expands the normal range of Medicaid long-term-care services considered “medically necessary,” be increased from $769 a month to $1,656 a month (the maximum amount permitted under the federal guidelines). It is expected that the expansion of the program will be at no net cost to the state because it will enable the Commonwealth to receive additional matching federal dollars (at the rate of 50 cents on the dollar) for each additional individual served.
As we go to press, it is expected that the legislature will override the Governor’s veto of the legislature’s repeal of the Masshealth Expanded Estate Recovery and the MassHealth Transfer of Assets Waiver Authority measures (so that the guidelines for estate recovery and asset waiver authority can be returned to their previous levels).
On behalf of Elder Services, I would like to thank Senator Nuciforo and Representatives Bosley, Kelly, Larkin, and Pignatelli for their support of Berkshire elders and the services they need, and to ask for their continued support in the days ahead.