Changes to Vocational Rehab. Services - p. 2
I
Work Incentives Threatened Page 4
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Mmin Luther King, Jr. 79
Access Press lloCume 7, Number 04
SOURCES
I RESOURCES
I
-April 10, 199(
Success At The Capitol PCAITEFRA Bill Passes by Charlie Smith, Editor The cuts to the Personal Care ti end ant ( ~ ~ ~ j p r o g rand arn TEFRA (the program which provides PCAs and health care to children with disabilities) were restored back to 1994 levels by the House of Representatives and the Senate on Monday, April 1, 1996. As we go to press, the bill is now
then sent to the Senate where they found some technical problems which were taken care of. It then was passed. Due to the technical problems, the bill had to be sent backtothe House to be passed again, and it did.
nor has said he will now sign the legislation.
are assured of their current quality of life: families can stay together, people can stay in their homes and communities, and people can keeptheir ilidependence.
With the restoration of these
Ori@naAy, the PCAITEFRA programswere included inthe H e l h and Human Services Omnibus bill. This bill was vetoed late in March by the S U C C M DUE TO YOU! Govemor due to a part of the Anne Henry of MN Disability Law Center addresses a question at thepress conference bill he did not like. It gave "Last year the Governor proon impending cuts to the PCA/TEFRA programs held at the State Office Building on control to the counties to start posed major cuts to the PCA March 11th. Supporters packed the room and listened to testimonials of several their own HMO coverage in program and the elimination people wit11 various disabilities and who use PCAs. Speakers slrown lefl to right are: demonstration projects, and ofthe TEFRA program, and it Mory Jean Hoover, Anne Henry, Lolly Lijewski, Krista & Aaron Westendorp. delayed expansion of man- was hard to find people to aged care to people on AFDC vote for them" said Mel (this was known as P-MAP). Duncan, Executive Director The Governor had no obiec- of Minnesota Alliance for tion to the PCAITEFRA ieg- Progressive Action (MAPA). islation and communicated "This year you've got everythat to the legislators. He in- one begging to vote and pass structed them to separate out these programs, even the Govthe P-MAP legislation and ernor. That's successful attach the rest of the Health grassroots organizing." and Human Service Omnibus bill to another bill. That is what it took! People making those cans and writby Jeff Nygaard The House Democrats felt the ing those letters to the GoverOur health care system in for one. In their January 1995 "These days" the larger Min- P-Map legislationwas impor- nor and legislators telling Minnesota, as in much of the issue, they said, "...Health nesota non-profits are hold- tant enough to attempt an over- them how important these procountry, is increasingly being Partners [Minnesota's 4th ing'as much as a billion dol- rideoftheGovernor's vetoon gramsare to the independence organized accordingto a doc- largest non-profit health-care ldrs in assets, plus paying sal- Saturday, March 30th. An- of their lives. You made the trine known as'hnanagedcom- corporation] and its major aries ofhalfamillion bucks or other reason for an over-ride difference. Last yearwe startpetition". In Minnesota, un- competitors are, in every more. This is not chicken was that when the House first ed with the massive rally, the like much of the country, all meaningful sense, businesses feed. We don't know all the passed the Health and Human biggest the Capitol had seen. It forced legislators to delay companies involved in this slugging it out for profitable things they plan to do with Service Omnibus bill, it passed with strong bipartisan the cuts. Then camethe Home competition (and it is, by all accounts." The IRS seems to this money, but some things support, 110 to 24. It was Care Task Force during the accounts, very fierce) must be agree. As the Star Tribune are clear. They certainly plan only afierthe Governor's veto summer and fall. It made the "non-profit". This raises an reported in a 9 March 1995 to pay their executives large ofthe bill that the Republican Department of Human Serinterestingquestion: Ifthey're article about IRS audits of salaries. (See "Health Care House members changed their vices (DHS) re-evaluate the not competing for profit, then Minnesota health care com- In Minnesota: Bigger is Bet- position to not support the numbers and types of people what are they competing for? panies, "the audits are hap- ter? in last month's ACCESS bill. The over-ride failed. they had counted, and how Curiously enough, the answer peningbecausetheIRS recog- PRESS). Some of the big Rep. Lee Greenfield then of- much money was being spent. seems to be: They're compet- nizes that charitable commu- companies plan to diversify, fered an amendment to a bill Once this was done, DHS had nity hospitals are becoming acquire new businesses, and authored by Rep. Phyllis to admit they over-estimated ing for profit. much more corporate-style get larger; those things cost Kahn, which had all of the both the numbers andthe~ost, At least that's what somepeo- competitors these days and it money. How do these "non- Health and Human Service proving we were right; the ple seem to think; Corporate is questioning whether their profits" get all this money? It Omnibus bill minus the P- programs are cost-effective. Report Minnesota magazine, tax exemptions are valid." aealih - cant. on 3 MAP language. It passed unanimous~y. The bill was A core group of advocates
A Commentary
I
People And Prof::s
How Should We Manage Health Care?
I
were res~onsiblefor keeping DHS, thk legislature and the disability community updated on the issues. The group consisted of: Bob Brick of ARC Minnesota, Tom Brick from the State Council on Disabilities, Bill Blom from Freedom Healthcare, Jeff BangsbergofBecklund Home Cardenas of ACT, Tom Johnson of Alliance for the Mentally 111,Anne Henry from Minnesota Disability Law Center, Mary Jo George and Joel Ulland ofMinnesota MS Society, Cindy Johnson - a TEFRA parent, Beth Knutson-Kolodzne from Independence Crossroads, Gene Martinez of ARC Hennepin, and Bob Tracey from Minnesota Aids Project, the regular attendees of the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) which met every Friday during the session, and the TEFRA parents and children who were able to show up at the Capitol at the drop of a hat to make their presence known. These people made it happen with a network of phone calls, action alerts, phone hotlines and faxes. They kept people aware ofwhat wasgoing on at any given time, when it was going on, and who needed educating. It was this constant pressure which madethis year successful. This is proofyou can make a difference when you get involved in the political process. This is an election year. Weneed to make sure all people running for office understand our issues: notjust PCA and TEFRA issues, but also transportation, affordable and accessible housing, and support for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to list but a few.