Senate to Take up Middle Class Tax Cut Act

 

The Senate is expected to take up S.3412, a temporary extension of the tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 under the Presidency of George W. Bush. The bill will extend for 1 year the tax cuts for households earning under $250,000 per year. Advocates for people with disabilities support this bill to help ensure that revenue is raised fairly to pay for critical disability services and supports. Allowing the tax cuts to expire for households making over $250,000 a year (the top 2% of earners) would generate about $1 trillion. This funding is needed to help protect important disability programs (like Medicaid, Social Security, housing, education, and employment) from deep cuts and to reduce the deficit.

Help Protect Disability Programs - Call to End Tax Cuts for the Top 2 Percent

 

 

Appropriations - House Subcommittee Passes Labor-HHS-Ed Bill

 

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (L-HHS-Ed) passed its FY 2013 Spending bill that funds the majority of disability-related programs. The bill passed along a near party line vote of 8 to 6 on July 18.  The Senate Appropriations committee passed its version of the bill last month. Again this year, the House subcommittee focused on reducing funding for implementation of the health care reform law. Specifically, the bill would rescind $1.6 billion for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and $15 million for the Independent Payment Advisory Board, which is charged with recommending steps to lower Medicare spending growth. Other targets included family planning services, the Department of Education's Race to the Top program, and National Public Radio. As the bill provided for mostly top level numbers for federal agencies, obtaining funding amounts for most individual disability-related programs will not be available until the committee report is released. However, in its press release the subcommittee noted:

 

• Special Education grants to states are funded at $12.1 billion, a 4.3% increase over FY 2012.
• The bill includes $10.7 billion to administer Social Security Administration activities, which is $287 million below fiscal year 2012.

  

Employment - Legislation Introduced to Block State TANF Waivers

 

Legislation was introduced in both the House and Senate last week to block the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from granting waivers to states that could exempt them from work requirements under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. On July 12th HHS published an "Information Memorandum" (IM) indicating that it would consider such waivers. The IM provides examples of waivers that states may want to consider, including "projects that demonstrate strategies for more effectively serving individuals with disabilities, along with an alternative approach to measuring participation and outcomes for individuals with disabilities." The Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act of 2012 (H.R. 6140, introduced by Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI), and S.3397, introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)) would bar HHS from approving any waivers pursuant to the IM. Most disability advocates oppose this legislation and support proposals to give states this flexibility to better serve people with disabilities in their TANF programs.

 

 

Medicaid/Long Term Services and Supports - Senate Hearing on Proposals for Dual Eligibles

 

The Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing about proposals being considered by the Medicare and Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO) within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) designed to integrate and coordinate care for individuals who are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Twenty-six states have submitted financial alignment proposals to CMS that could move as many as 2 million dually eligible individuals into demonstration programs. Senators asked about some states' requests to enroll people into managed care plans without asking them if they wanted to join. MMCO Director Melanie Bella said that states must allow people to leave the managed care plans and enroll in another plan or in regular Medicare. Senators also raised concerns about whether managed care plans had the necessary expertise to provide services for dually eligible individuals.

  

 

Social Security - Hearing to Examine Overlap of SSDI and Unemployment Benefits

 

On Thursday, July 26th the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, held a hearing on "Double Dipping: Assessing Overlap Between Disability and Unemployment Benefits." According to the announcement, the hearing was to examine a new, not-yet-released report by the Government Accountability Office titled "Income Security: Overlapping Disability and Unemployment Benefits Should Be Evaluated for Potential Savings." 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

 

July 26, 2012 will mark the 22th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This landmark civil rights law was created to eliminate discrimination against people based on their disabilities.

 

Federal Agencies Sign Agreement to Promote Employment First

 

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) have announced a new memorandum of agreement (MOA). Under the MOA, the agencies will collaborate to expand and promote integrated employment as the first employment option for individuals with significant disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities.