Citing a nation-wide trend to increase home and community based services (HCBS) for people with I/DD, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently ruled on the contested closure of Murray Developmental Center (Murray DC). The court held that Illinois could move forward with closing the facility. The ruling cited a growing number of studies that show that people with disabilities experience a higher quality of life in community-based settings as opposed to facility-based care. The ruling in its entirely may be viewed here.
Monthly Archives: October 2015
Health Care – House of Representatives Approves Reconciliation Bill Repealing Parts of Health Care Law
Last Friday, in a vote of 240 to 189, the House of Representatives approved a bill which, if enacted, would repeal major portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These would include the individual responsibility provisions, employer responsibility provisions, as well as the Prevention and Public Health Fund. This legislation would also reverse taxes on medical device manufacturers and high cost health insurance plans. Additionally, the bill prohibits federal funding of Planned Parenthood for one year. The bill will now be sent to the Senate. It is a reconciliation bill which can pass the Senate with a simple majority. The President has announced that he would veto the legislation.
Miscellaneous – Senate to Hold Hearing on “Welfare and Poverty in America”
On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Finance will hold a hearing on “Welfare and Poverty in America.” Witnesses will be Pamela Loprest, Labor Economist and Senior Fellow, Income and Benefits Policy Center, Urban Institute; Aretha J. Jackson, disabled veteran and TANF recipient; H. Luke Shaefer, Associate Professor, School of Social Work and the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Jon Pierpont, Executive Director, Utah Department of Workforce Services, Salt Lake City, Utah. Visit the Committee web site to view testimony and live video the day of the hearing.
Tax Policy/ABLE Act – Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service Hold Hearing on Qualified ABLE Programs Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Last week, the Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) held a public hearing on the proposed rules for implementation of the Stephen Beck, Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014. Speakers included Marty Ford of The Arc, representatives of other major disability advocacy organizations, and representatives of state treasurer’s offices and college savings plan administrators. Speakers fielded questions from representatives of the Treasury Department and IRS. Most speakers stressed the need for a streamlined enrollment process and administrative simplicity. The Department of Treasury and the IRS will now consider all written and oral comments and issue final regulations in the coming months.
Social Security – Social Security Administration Announces No Cost-of-Living Increases for 2016
Last week, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that there will be no cost-of-living increase for Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits in 2016. The Social Security Act provides for annual increases in Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI), Disability Insurance (DI), and SSI benefits based on inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Because the CPI-W decreased over the last year, there will be no increase in Social Security or SSI benefits in 2016. However, as noted in a statement by The Arc’s Senior Executive Officer for Public Policy, Marty Ford, many beneficiaries will still face increases in costs such as out-of-pocket medical expenses and housing. SSA also announced that two important thresholds for Social Security and SSI beneficiaries with disabilities will increase in 2016: the Substantial Gainful Activity level for non-blind individuals will increase from $1,090 per month in 2015 to $1,130 per month in 2016, and the Trial Work Level will increase from $780 per month in 2015 to $810 per month in 2016. The Department of Health and Human Services has not yet announced Medicare premium changes for 2016. Because there is the “hold harmless” provision in Medicare Part B, premiums for about 70 percent of beneficiaries will not increase for OASI or DI beneficiaries. Medicare Part B beneficiaries who are not held harmless (generally higher income beneficiaries and those newly enrolled) may face premium increases of up to 52 percent.
Tax Policy/ABLE Act – Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service Hold Hearing on Qualified ABLE Programs Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Last week, the Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) held a public hearing on the proposed rules for implementation of the Stephen Beck, Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014. Speakers included Marty Ford of The Arc, representatives of other major disability advocacy organizations, and representatives of state treasurer’s offices and college savings plan administrators. Speakers fielded questions from representatives of the Treasury Department and IRS. Most speakers stressed the need for a streamlined enrollment process and administrative simplicity. The Department of Treasury and the IRS will now consider all written and oral comments and issue final regulations in the coming months.
Social Security – Social Security Administration Announces No Cost-of-Living Increases for 2016
Last week, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that there will be no cost-of-living increase for Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits in 2016. The Social Security Act provides for annual increases in Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI), Disability Insurance (DI), and SSI benefits based on inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Because the CPI-W decreased over the last year, there will be no increase in Social Security or SSI benefits in 2016. However, as noted in a statement by The Arc’s Senior Executive Officer for Public Policy, Marty Ford, many beneficiaries will still face increases in costs such as out-of-pocket medical expenses and housing. SSA also announced that two important thresholds for Social Security and SSI beneficiaries with disabilities will increase in 2016: the Substantial Gainful Activity level for non-blind individuals will increase from $1,090 per month in 2015 to $1,130 per month in 2016, and the Trial Work Level will increase from $780 per month in 2015 to $810 per month in 2016. The Department of Health and Human Services has not yet announced Medicare premium changes for 2016. Because there is the “hold harmless” provision in Medicare Part B, premiums for about 70 percent of beneficiaries will not increase for OASI or DI beneficiaries. Medicare Part B beneficiaries who are not held harmless (generally higher income beneficiaries and those newly enrolled) may face premium increases of up to 52 percent.