Testimony presented to:
Date: September 2005
Subject: Health care / Welfare reform / Preserving MassHealth coverage for people with disabilities
Testimony in Support
of H. 2787, S. 758, and S. 745
Preserving
MassHealth Coverage for Disabled Persons
In August
2003, the Division of Medical Assistance applied to the Secretary of Health and
Human Services for a waiver of existing Medicaid laws to enable Massachusetts to use a
more restrictive standard of disability than the federal Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) standard when it determines eligibility for MassHealth on the
basis of disability. That waiver application is still pending as of September
2005.
Legislation
is needed to stop the Administration from trying to change the current standard
of disability in MassHealth through this ill-considered waiver request.
- Not since 1974 has a state
been allowed to use a disability standard more restrictive than SSI.
Currently, only two states use a disability standard more restrictive than
SSI in their Medicaid programs.
- The Administration’s waiver
request will result in people with identical conditions being treated
differently based solely on whether MassHealth or Social Security decides
if they are disabled.
- With a more restrictive
standard of disability, some people now considered disabled will lose
medical benefits even though their health has not improved in any way.
- Anyone who meets the strict
SSI standard of disability needs access to full Medicaid benefits to
prolong life, reduce suffering, and maximize the ability to function in
the community.
House
Bill 2787, and Senate Bills 758 and 745, require MassHealth to use no more
restrictive standard of disability than the federal SSI standard. The
individuals and organizations listed below strongly support these bills.
Alzheimers’
Association
Kathleen
Doyle
311 Arsenal Street
Watertown, MA
The Arc
of Massachusetts
Leo
Sarkissian
217 South Street
Waltham, MA
Boston Center for Independent Living
Bill
Henning
95 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA
Boston Health Care for the Homeless
Program
Robert
Taube
729 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA
Cambridge Commission for Persons with
Disabilities
Michael
J. Muehe
51 Inman Street
Cambridge, MA
Cape Organization for the Rights of the Disabled
(CORD)
Cathy
Taylor
1019 Iyannough Road
Hyannis, MA02601
Disability LawCenter
Linda
Landry
11 Beacon Street
Boston, MA
Attorney
Ronald B. Eskin
228 Central Street
Lowell, MA
Greater Boston Legal Services
Nancy
Lorenz
197 Friend Street
Boston, MA
Health
Law Advocates
Laurie
Martinelli
30 Winter
Street
Boston, MA
Health
Synergies, Inc.
Michael
Cronin
53 Elm Street
Worcester, MA
Health
Law Institute, a program of JRI Health
Justice
Resource Institute
Jon M.
Argenziano
130 Boylston Street
Boston, MA02116
Janet
Hirschhorn
58 Ashland Avenue
Methuen, MA
Independent Living Center of the North Shore
and Cape Ann, Inc.
Mary
Margaret Moore
27 Congress Street
Salem, MA
Massachusetts
Home Care
Al Norman
24 Third Avenue
Burlington, MA
Massachusetts
Law Reform Institute
Vicky
Pulos
99 Chauncy Street
Boston, MA
Massachusetts Office of Disability
Myra Berloff
1 Ashburton Place
Boston, MA
Mental
Health Legal Advisors Committee
Susan Fendell
399 Washington Street
Boston, MA
MetroWest Center for Independent Living, Inc.
Paul W.
Spooner
280 Irving Street
Framingham, MA
Personal
Disability Consulting, Inc.
Lee
Rachel Jurman
68 Craftsland Road
Chestnut Hill, MA
Stavros Center for Independent Living
Jim
Kruidenier
691 South East Street
Amherst, MA
Treatment
Access Expansion Project
Robert
Greenwald
32 Sheridan Street
Boston, MA