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- ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATE
- DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT DENIALS
- GOVERNOR MIGHT SUPPORT MEDICAID BLOCK GRANT
- PLEASE SIGN UP FOR LEGISLATIVE DAY 2005
ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATE
Plans are moving
ahead for NYSACRA’s twenty-eighth Annual Conference, “From Community Living
to Living Community.” The conference will be held at the Sagamore
Hotel from May 3 to May 6. Information has been shared with our members
regarding our exciting line-up of speakers and workshops. And, as always,
NYSACRA is planning a few surprises for attendees. That’s the GOOD news! The
BAD news is that the Sagamore is nearly full. This means that a number of eager
and enthusiastic people are being placed on the Wait List for rooms. While we
know it’s early in the year and rooms may become available as we get closer to
the actual dates, we are asking our members to “double up” as much as possible.
Double or triple occupancy is comfortably possible in many of the suites and
rooms at the Sagamore. This, in turn, will release rooms that can be used by
other NYSACRA members. We appreciate your considering our request and want you
to know that we would like ALL of our attendees to be as comfortable as
possible.
DURABLE MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT DENIALS
Primarily due to
the November closing of a NYC DOH office there has been a significant reduction
and delay in processing claims for durable medical equipment, but even outside
of NYC. A January 12, 2005 New York Times article,
“Medicaid Equipment Pleas
Go Unanswered” by Richard Pérez-Peña, details the disastrous effects of this
problem. DOH claims they have not changed the rules but it appears that the
Albany office operated under different rules than NYC and is slow to train their
new employees. There will be a meeting next week with providers to discuss the
problems, please check the NYSACRA website version of this News & Views for
details.
GOVERNOR MIGHT
SUPPORT MEDICAID BLOCK GRANT
Governor Pataki might be
willing to accept President Bush’s concept of a block grant and other Medicaid
reforms when he releases his State Executive Budget next week. Any such plan
would be vociferously opposed by Legislators on both sides of the aisle as well
as providers and many other groups. NYSACRA will report on Tuesday, January 18,
2005, with brief info on the Governor’s proposal that is expected to be released
that day. Your attendance at Legislative Day is crucial to the maintenance of
the programs and services you provide. Click Here
for links to the many recent Medicaid articles or visit:
http://www.nysacra.org/nysacra/medicaid_articles.htm.
PLEASE SIGN UP FOR
LEGISLATIVE DAY 2005
Please send in
your sign-up form for NYSACRA’s Legislative Day 2005, to be held on Tuesday,
March 1, 2005 in Albany. Visit the NYSACRA website at
www.nysacra.org or call us for a form and info, and make your hotel
reservations quickly.
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