California has committed to developing a Master Plan for Aging in order to meet the needs of older adults today and for generations to come.
The fifth in this series of papers, Oral Health Recommendations, offers specific policy recommendations to expand access to oral health for low-income older Californians, improve oral health outcomes, combat systemic health inequities, and improve the overall health of older adults in California.
Governor Newsom and the California Legislature announced yesterday that they have come to a budget agreement that will preserve the vital programs low-income older adults rely on for their health and safety. This final budget agreement preserves the critical programs that will help those most at risk from the pandemic—older Black, Latinx, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders—access health care services they need. We thank the Governor and Legislature for preserving programs that help people access services at home and in the community so that at-risk older adults are not forced to seek care in nursing facilities, which are particularly dangerous during the pandemic.
Programs Preserved
While this budget agreement preserves existing programs older Californians need, without increased revenues, cuts still loom and racial inequities remain unaddressed. Justice in Aging will continue to advocate both federally and at the state level for additional revenue to ensure cuts are not made in the future and that investments are made at the state level to address the racial disparities in our institutions and programs. Today, however, we celebrate California’s preservation of existing support programs for older adults.
Governor Newsom’s revised budget makes deep cuts to nearly every program on which low-income older adults rely. The cuts to programs will be especially hard on older adults of color, who, because of systemic racism and discrimination, are at greater risk from COVID-19 and rely on these programs to survive. If enacted, these cuts will cause great harm to the health and economic security of the state’s low-income older adults and their families.
Last week, the state Senate rejected many of the cuts that the Governor proposed. Advocates need to continue to push back and educate legislators about the devastating impact of these cuts. A new Justice in Aging fact sheet discusses in more detail the specific harms of these cuts and their disproportionate impact on communities of color.
Older adults and people with disabilities are one of the populations most susceptible to both COVID-19 and the effects of related physical distancing mandates. Many advocates and other service providers working with older adults may have questions about the rights of older adults and the impact of COVID-19 and related relief measures on healthcare.
This free webinar, co-organized by Justice in Aging and California Health Advocates Senior Medicare Patrol, will discuss health care rights under Medicare and Medi-Cal for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased flexibilities and requirements for Medicare Advantage, Part D and Cal MediConnect plans, the moratorium on Medi-Cal negative actions, special enrollment periods under Medicare, the impact of relief efforts on Medi-Cal benefits, guaranteed issue events for Medigap, and more.
Who should participate:
Legal services attorneys and aging and disability service providers, including HICAP staff and volunteers.
Presenters:
Denny Chan, Justice in Aging
Bonnie Burns, California Health Advocates
The webinar took place on Thursday, May 28, from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PT.
Closed captioning will be available during this webinar. A link with access to the captions will be shared through GoToWebinar’s chat box shortly before the webinar start time.
In 2012, the Affordable Care Act expanded the Part D Extra Help Program, also known as the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS), so that dual eligibles enrolled in certain Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) should not be charged any co-pays for Part D covered drugs. However, since 2012, some California duals enrolled in Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) and in San Mateo’s Multipurpose Senior Services Programs (MSSP) have been improperly charged co-pays. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is beginning to work with Part D and Medicare Advantage plans so that these dual eligibles are properly assessed co-pays and retroactively reimbursed for any improper amounts collected.
Justice in Aging created an FAQ for advocates to answer key questions about the implementation of these refunds.
California has committed to developing a Master Plan for Aging in order to meet the needs of older adults today and for generations to come.
The third in this series of papers, Addressing Senior Hunger by Maximizing CalFresh and the Hold Harmless Food Benefits, offers specific policy recommendations for addressing troubling senior hunger trends, and the low utilization among seniors of available benefits.
LOS ANGELES — Thousands of Medi-Cal beneficiaries with significant disabilities will now be able to access affordable Medi-Cal care at home, rather than going to a nursing facility. In-home care provides greater stability and health outcomes for individuals and families, and it is cost-effective for the state; but it can be prohibitively costly to pay for out-of-pocket. As a result, married people with disabilities often have to make a draconian choice: impoverish themselves and their spouses or go to a nursing facility. Read More
When: Thursday, January 16, 2020 from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. PT/1-2 p.m. ET
In 2014, California’s Department of Health Care Services launched the Coordinated Care Initiative for dual eligibles in certain counties. It provided dual eligibles with an option to enroll in an integrated Medicare-Medicaid plan called Cal MediConnect. Now, California has proposed ending Cal MediConnect and transitioning to a statewide Dual Special Needs Plan (DSNP) model with managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS). It is also proposing changes to the Medi-Cal Long-Term Care benefit and the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) and requiring dual eligibles to enroll in Medi-Cal managed care across the state. This webinar will unpack the major proposed changes that affect dual eligibles, including:
Who should participate:
Advocates who work with California’s dual eligibles, individuals interested in California’s dual eligible demonstration, and other stakeholders.
Presenter:
Denny Chan, Senior Staff Attorney, Justice in Aging
This webinar took place on Thursday, January 16, 2020, from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. PT/ 1-2 p.m. ET.
Closed captioning will be available during this webinar. A link with access to the captions will be shared through GoToWebinar’s chat box shortly before the webinar start time.
REGISTER FOR THE WEBINARJustice in Aging has updated our California fact sheet that provide the essential information advocates for older adults need to know about this year’s open enrollment periods for both Medicare and the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces. Changes consumers make to either their Medicare or Marketplace coverage during open enrollment will take effect January 1, 2020.
The In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program is a Medi-Cal program in California that pays for in-home care for people with disabilities, including children, adults, and seniors. The purpose of this vital program is to provide services and supports that help people remain safely in their homes and living in the community.
Justice in Aging is releasing a new Advocates Guide about the IHSS program for advocates and individuals who provide assistance to older adults, children, and adults with disabilities. Written with significant support from Disability Rights California, the guide provides in-depth information about the IHSS program and is divided into eight chapters:
