2/08 From the Chair
Hi to all SC's - Legislative time is now here and Beth and I have been working endlessly trying to keep up with all that might impact not just support coordination but all services to the people that we support. There have been numerous meetings and I have tried to put the more important information on the web site under News. I will try to continue to do that as we move forward during this Legislative session. I have attached an update from Beth on what has been going on to give you some idea of the scope of work that she does for us. I have also added a copy of our Legislative Platform which we worked on at the FASC Conference and has more recently been edited and approved by the FASC Board. I know that some of you often wonder what we do here in Tallahassee but let me assure you that between Beth, myself, Brad Hunt and other Board members we try to attend every meeting that might have an impact on support coordination. I also ask you to please remember that the Board members volunteer all their time and expenses to travel to FASC.
As always during Legislative time and other time as well, we all depend on you the members to support our efforts by your advocacy at the local level and the assistance when needed to get information out to others. We are also dependent on SC's at the local level to help maintain membership. Without membership support, we would not be able to continue our efforts. Remind everyone that without our advocacy and work with families during the past, our jobs would now be State jobs at the Area level.
I am very grateful for our email "tree" to help keep information flowing. Remember this year that we are trying to use our web site more so go there for information as well.
Thanks again for your continuing support, Janice Phillips
REQUEST FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MANAGED CARE CONTRACT:
FROM THE CHAIR:
Hello to all SC's: There are several very important new issues that we have recently become aware of.
1) There is a draft policy from APD on Limited Support Coordination which now identifies children on FSL receiving Limited Support Coordination only. Adults in both waivers have the option for limited. I requested a copy of the draft policy today and received it from APD State office. The policy is attached along with some comments. If you have additional comments on the policy, please send them to me.
Draft Policy
DRAFT FASC Comments
2) A managed care provider has begun a conversation with APD and stakeholders about the possibility of managed care for the waiver services as well as medical services.
Currently, the conversation is with Amerigroup - they have a web site (Amerigroupcorp.com). BUT any other managed care groups can come in and will be encouraged by AHCA to do so.
Amerigroup is the biggest group working with the SSI/Medicaid population already and also has a program for nursing home diversion. That program (although much smaller than us) is the one that has more similarities.
They have "outreach" people who go out do homevisits and try to determine what is really needed and to put things in place quickly to avoid hospital visits and/or more severe medical conditions. They are knowledgable about support coordination and feel that it has a valuable place in their business model. They are currently in 10 States so have several models that they use.
So where is Support Coordination at this point:
- We have to be at the table or we will definitely have no influence on how things are structured. AND we have been invited to the table.
- We need to help everyone understand the value of support coordination as it relates to prompt intervention whether the issue is medical or developmental and the cost-effectiveness of such action.
- The goal of the group is to use some managed care principles and to make sure that the best system possible is available (if accepted!) to people we support.
- Be open to change as the role we play could very well change.
- Realize that compromise will be a part of this process for everyone - providers, SC's, managed care.
- Remember that all managed care groups are not the same and some may accept the product of this group and some may not.
- APD has not yet stated a position on managed care.
- The Legislature is looking for control of costs and also how to serve wait list people. Managed care is a vehicle where "risks" are transferred to the managed care company and away from the State.
Please do not panic at this point.
There is a lot of discussion to be done and FASC will strive to maintain a viable role for support coordination. What does it mean to be at the table? There is a consultant group that is being retained Health Management Associates which is made up of previous AHCA employees and other knowledgeable in manage care systems. (they are not managed care groups or affiliated with managed care groups).
They will be facilitating the development of a proposal on the parameters of a managed care system for the DD population as directed by the stakeholders group. Currently that includes DD Council and ARC/FL. There is a cost involved in this planning of approximately $10,000. This will be divided between the groups.
If FASC elects to participate, the fee will be in the range of $3500. Other groups may decided to participate and if so the cost would be reduced. The second phase would be more costly and include the development of an actual plan of implementation and how services would be provided. This is a significant committment on FASC's part and one that will take the support of the entire support coordination community. If you are not a member of FASC, please consider joining. We will need donations above membership for this endeavor. If each SC donated $25, we would have money for this project as well as some for any follow up work that will most likely need to be done. FASC will continue to keep the entire support coordination community informed of what is going on regardless of your membership status. thanks for your support, janice phillips.
Janice G. Phillips
1831 Fiddler Court
Tallahassee, FL 32308
850-877-4393
850-878-9920 (fax)
Read Beth's Legislative Report to the Board in .PDF format: Report
FASC is requesting contributions to the following special Funds:
Managed Care Workgroup- FASC has a contractual commitment under this work group. Contributions to this fund are requested from all SC’s statewide to cover this expense which is over and above the normal expenses of FASC.
The first phase of this work will include looking at the broad framework of how managed care would work and support coordinators need to be at the table to make sure that our value to the system is clearly communicated.
Bonus for Our Lobbyist- Beth has worked incalculable hours for the benefit of FASC and that work has an impact on everyone working as an SC in Florida. Everyone benefits from those efforts. See her report above FROM THE CHAIR. She remains totally committed to advocacy for the people we serve and our mission as Support Coordinators. She has given FASC a significant part of her time over and above what our fiscal obligation to her is. We would like to honor her with a reward recognizing that fact.
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