Elimination of ADHC Funding Delayed: New Program Created | |
 On November 17th, a settlement was reached in a federal lawsuit between Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) participants and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), which will delay the elimination of ADHC funding until February 29th. As part of the 2011-2012 state budget, ADHC services were scheduled to be eliminated as a Medi-Cal benefit beginning December 1st. This would have impacted services for nearly 34,000 seniors and persons with disabilities throughout the state who rely on ADHC centers for skilled health and nursing services, personal care services, therapy, social services, transportation, meals and case management.
The settlement also creates a new program called Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) that will provide ADHC-type services for qualified individuals. Although full details have not yet been released, DHCS intends for CBAS to be provided through centers contracted with managed care plans, and for the new program to be in place by March 1st. ADHC participants will begin receiving notices regarding this change in mid-December, and will be assessed for the new program sometime between then and February. It is believed that approximately half of current ADHC participants will be eligible for the new program. Participants who are not eligible will receive "enhanced case management" services through their managed care plan to help them transition into other services in the community.
Although this change will impact thousands of seniors and persons with disabilities, the announced settlement and creation of the CBAS program could keep many of these individuals from being placed in an institution or nursing home. The settlement is seen as a major victory by advocates throughout the state.
back to top |
California Seeks to Integrate Services through Managed Care | |
The State of California was recently awarded a federal grant to develop an integrated approach to care for individuals who receive both Medi-Cal and Medicare (commonly known as dual eligibles). The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is using the grant to implement pilot programs that will enroll dual eligibles into managed care plans, which will be responsible for coordinating medical care and social services for enrollees. Currently, dual eligibles can receive a variety of services through multiple service providers, including doctors, therapists, adult day health care centers, and homecare workers (including IHSS). Under the pilot programs, designated managed care plans would be responsible for coordinating many of these services and would act as primary points of contact for participating individuals. Even though DHCS intends to pilot these programs in only four counties, the results of the pilots could change the way that many programs and services are provided throughout the state in the very near future.
As part of the implementation process for the pilots, DHCS is currently seeking input from the individuals and organizations that may be impacted by program changes. Three informational meetings are scheduled to be held in December to give the public an opportunity to learn more about DHCS' plan for the pilots and the future of health and long-term care. The three meetings will include information on:
Behavioral Health and Substance Use Services - December 2nd, Sacramento
Consumer Protections - December 12th, San Francisco
Long-Term Supportive Services - December 15th, Los Angeles
For more information on the public meetings and the pilot programs, please visit DHCS' website at www.calduals.org.
In addition, DHCS has worked with Harborage Consulting to develop a survey to collect feedback from dual eligible individuals on their health care experiences. If you receive both Medi-Cal and Medicare and would like to complete the survey, visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/CalDuals.
back to top |
Do you have questions about PASC and the IHSS Program? Do you have suggestions for topics to be covered in the PASC E-News? Send your questions and suggestions to e-news@pascla.org. PASC E-News is designed for you to get the information you need!
Note: If you do not wish to receive future editions or would like to update your profile with us, please scroll down to the bottom of this message and click on either "SafeUnsubscribe" or "Update Profile/Email Address" |
|
No Drugs Down the Drain: How & Where to Dispose of Medication | |
 Your doctor has changed one of your medications--what do you do with the leftover old medicine? That bottle of cough medicine in your medicine cabinet has expired--how do you get rid of it safely?
Almost everyone occasionally has unused medications they no longer need or that have expired: prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, even medicine for our pets. We now know that flushing or pouring any drugs down a drain is dangerous. A 2001 US Geological Survey study of sources of public drinking water found medications such as antibiotics, steroids, hormones, codeine, and ibuprofen in 96% of the water sampled--much of this is caused by disposing of medications down a drain. Medications in bodies of water may lead to increased resistance to antibiotics in humans, as well as interference in the growth and reproduction of fish and other sea life.
California's "No Drugs Down the Drain" program, endorsed by the County of Los Angeles and City of Los Angeles, outlines the following steps for safely and responsibly disposing of unused, unneeded, or expired medications:
- Remove your name, drug name, prescription number, and other personal information from the container before disposal.
- Put medication in a securely sealed container, then in a trash can where children and pets can't reach it.
- To help prevent people or animals from ingesting the medication, add a small amount of water plus a distasteful substance to a bottle of pills or liquid medication: coffee grounds, dirt, ashes, or salt.
- For pills in a pack or card, wrap the card in several layers of masking tape or duct tape.
- Hide medication bottles in a paper bag, box, or empty food container, and wrap in several layers of newspaper.
- Place the medication in your outside trash can as close to the pick-up time as possible.
You can also take unused or expired medications to a household hazardous waste collection event, or to an LA County Sheriff station that participates in the "Safe Drug Drop-Off" Program. You can find a list of these locations, as well as more information on safe medication disposal and the environment, at www.nodrugsdownthedrain.org.
back to top
|
| Upcoming Trainings and Events
Click on event for more information | |
|
| Legislation Watch |
The 2011-2012 California legislative session will reconvene on Wednesday, January 4th. Members of the Senate and Assembly will have until January 31st to pass any bills left from the 2011 portion of the session, and will have until February 24th to introduce new bills for 2012. Additional information on proposed bills will be forthcoming.
Back to top 
|
|
|
|
|
|
