The Community Choice Act will be reintroduced tomorrow in Congress. It provides alternatives to nursing homes and other institutions for those with disabilities, offering a solution to our present system.
Our long term care system has a heavy institutional bias. Every state that receives Medicaid MUST provide nursing home services, but community based services are optional. Sixty seven (67%) percent of Medicaid long term care dollars pay for institutional services, while the remaining thirty three (33%) must cover all the community based waivers, optional programs, etc. via adapt.org/casaintr.htm
ADAPT points out that this bill doesn't create a new entitlement, but allows flexibility for alternative care. Community services cost less than institutional care and this bill would allow us to explore more cost efficient ways of care. Community care allows recipients to remain working and in the community.
The Justice for All blog notes that the CCA is being reintroduced right before the 10 year anniversary of State v. Olmstead, which held that forced institutionalization is discrimination.
Related:
National Report from 2006 Hearing on ending the institutional bias (includes testimony from people with disabilities who have been instutionalized)
Letter in Support of Community Choice Act from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, dated June 5, 2007 (pdf file) which reads in part:
"In recent decades, our Church has come to a greater understanding of the needs of our brothers and sisters with disabilities. In 1978, the bishops issued their Pastoral Statement on People with Disabilities. In that statement, the bishops called upon all people of good will to work with people with disabilities to improve their living conditions and ensure that each individual is able to achieve the fullest measure of personal development of which he or she is capable. It is in that spirit that we are pleased to support the Community Choice Act. With the services that the bill would make available, more people with disabilities will be able to move from institutional care to lives of independence in their communities."
Nick's blog post about the importance of the CCA, which asks:
Who is more disabled? The successful banker who happens to be quadriplegic, and gets up each weekday (with the help of assistants) and goes to work, contributing to the community and pulling down over $100,000 a year? Or the dude who still lives in his mom’s basement, who can do chin-ups, run and jump, but is unwilling or unable to contribute to society? Who is more disabled?
Waiting
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