Directory - Page 9
My advice is-be political or die-or, go to a nursing home. If you're not in the political process, people are going to be talking for you, deciding things for you.
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More Theaters & I , Mnseums Page 7
-Ed Roberts
Access Przas I
May 10, lees
BOM.BSDON'T SCARE US ,
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Repeal the ADA. Cut Per- every state that such organi- quate funding to make it sonal Care Attendant Servic- zations are openly meeting, more palatable to the medical es. Stophelpingfarnilieswith attendinggun shows and lob- community, and to extend children who have severe dis- bying for their right to be benefits for prescription abilities keep their families armed, and ignore the reality 1 drugs, dental care, and other together. Keep support for that most members of these costs which are vital to people conservative, dependent on this coverage. of "law and or?%~ncreasin~ deductible~to pa*, , ly have a de- tientsand lowering the already A a-ns a
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ther groups as, but camouflage suits and gun collections make these ~ le . e .o ~easy targets for the media.
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plan. The idea is a travesty and should be laughed at. Let's hope ~ewt'can'twhip his robotic followers into line behind this one.
We are experiencing media hysteria in .full swing again. Just as the Simpson trial was How many of us feel mat it is Our state legislators haven't I beginning to bore, the Okla- important to put barrier$. kished theirdeliberations on homa bombing set off an around public buildings, and the importantfinding bills for equally frenzied rush for air use metal detectors robtinely home care attendant costs, time and newspaper space. on people looking for tax welfare reform to alkow peoAuthors, analysts, and politi- forms? Frankly, this sort of ple to go to work while retaincians will be using this event reaction would just offer in- ing medical assistance, and to make money or promote convenience to the public. adequate funding for the their own causes for a few Metro Council to properly by Anne L. Henry, MN Disability Law Center more months while real life Now for the important stuff. deliver Metro Mobility services. (You can see the proThe Conference Committee The cut to the hour limits is hated and will be transferred issues are largely disregardCongressman Richard posed changes to this service on Health and Human Servic- also contained in the House to home and communitywaiv- ed. Armey, majority leader of with present fhding on page es will be making final deci- bill but is not effective until er slots, county mental health sions regarding the Personal July 1996. The savings taken grants or be dropped fiom To the disappointment of the Congress, has started an ini- 2). It appears that, as usual, Care Assistant program and by the Senate in reducing all service altogether. DHS esti- Rush Limbaugh crowd, it tiative to amend the current all of these important issues the TEFRA Medical Assis- home care categories from 15 mates that over 900 current tumed out that the deed was ADA legislation. Hehasstart- will be decided in the frenzied tance option for childrenwith minutes to an hour and 15 PCA recipientswill no longer nottheworkofaMiddleEast- ed his campaign with state- action of the last few minutes serious disabilities, in the next minutesand reducingthethree be eligible for PCA services ern Death Squad (disappoint- ments calling ADA a "disas- of the session. twoweeks. Personswith disa- highest levelsofcare fiom 2.5 or waivered services. It is un- ing; no oppomityro try aut ter"andUanabominationyyand bilities and their families and hours to 3.25 hours is estimat- clear how many of the 900 some of our hot new weapons insisting on the need to pre- At the eleventh hour, we have friends have been very active ed by the Department of Hu- individualswill be eligiblefor in retaliation). Now that it vent "gold diggers" from fil- our conservative governor, this legislative session in or- man Services to be $409,000 county mental health services appears a home-based group ing frivolous lawsuits. This Mr. Veto himself, proposing der to defeat the Governor's for the fmt year of the bienni- and how many will bedropped of'militia" men were respon- sort oftalk by a very powerhl a $20mill ion giveaway to help sible, we are (1) professing to legislator must be taken seri- a millionaire buy a hockey proposed cuts. The task has um (FY7%)and $925,000for h m services. be surprised that they exist ously. The ADA was the re- team. He is willing to ignore been extremely difficult be- the second year (FY'97). and (2) feeling the need to sult of a long, hard fight and the irony of state funding for a e the DFL leadership in take nationwide defensive justly celebrated at the time it another sport fiasco with conboth the House and Senate PCA Inelifor Per- A& force on medical assisactions to prevent another at- passed. To have it threatened current lowering of funding tance home care charged with "-yided to cut health care in tack in another federal build- is truly frightening, not apara- for health care. This too, is ..._ Department of Human Their Own Care proposing alternative methinganywhere. Forgetthat it is noid reaction. Services even more than Both the House and Senate ods to reduce spending in the common know ledge in almost recommended by Governor delay the PCA "restructuring" PCA program is included in Next we have Newt Gingrich Right now, our chance of be%on. As ConferenceCom- to July of 1996 for persons both the House and Senate .....t ee begins, the following who cannot direct their own versions of the bill. Because who cannot direct their own offering to "save" Medicare ing bombed is remote enough by taking away $300 billion to forget. The lessening of issues await negotiation by the care. The bills require that for the PCA "restructuring" is care. of funding. In another era, if employment opportunities, a ,use and Senate conferees: persons who cannot direct delayed until the second year anyone even broached such a reduction in home health care their own care, such as those of the biennium (7/1/96), the ridiculous idea, they would and more difficulty in using W~roem - The Senate with developmental disabili- proposals from the task force v i probably be given a sanity public transportation are hapbill cuts the limit of hours ties, mental illness, traumatic will be crucial to avoiding the test. Medicare as structured pening. Terrorists are not our available for PCA recipients brain injury,Alzheimer's, and negative affects of the PCA acks only one thing ade- problem, legislators are.. inning July 1, 1995. all children, PCA willbeelim- "restructuring" for persons Cuts - cont. on p. 6
Legislative Update On TEFRA -A-~:d.PCA. Cuts
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