November 18, 2015 
 
 
Delegate Ken Plum's 
Virginia E-News

With my colleague, Delegate Marcus Simon, and members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) advocating for living wages and health care coverage for working families.


Commentary  

Medicaid in Perspective       
Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum 
 
A recent newspaper headline proclaimed that "Audit finds waste, inefficiencies in Virginia's Medicaid program." As often is the case, the real story is beyond the headline. The audit described in the story is the 62nd audit of Virginia's Medicaid program since 2002; this one was conducted by the Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission (JLARC) of the General Assembly (http://jlarc.virginia.gov/medicaid-2015.asp). The audit was mandated by the Republican majority of the General Assembly who oppose the expansion of Medicaid for the working poor. As JLARC explained the context of the audit, "Medicaid eligibility determination in Virginia is undergoing significant changes, including new policies for most Medicaid applicants and a new information system used for all applicants." Is it any wonder that under such circumstances there would be some audit findings related to verification of eligibility?
 
In looking at the details of the report, the biggest problem with eligibility determination occurs where the caseload is highest. In Loudoun County, for example, an eligibility worker is responsible for 1,221 cases; in Chesterfield County near Richmond each eligibility worker is responsible for 1,230 cases. It should be no surprise that with such limited staffing and a changing system there would be delays and errors. Measured against federal standards, Virginia's error rate of 0.5 percent in approving Medicaid eligibility was far lower than the national average of 3.3 percent in 2012. Even with the changing standards, the current rate at 2.7 percent is less than the national average.
 
In 2014, 1.2 million Virginians received Medicaid benefits. Only certain categories of Virginians are eligible for Medicaid. They must fall into one of five primary eligibility categories--children under age 19, parents or legal guardians of a dependent child, pregnant women, persons aged 65 or older, or disabled or blind--and they must have income below the appropriate percentage of the federal poverty level for their eligibility category. Over half of those enrolled in 2014 were children and nearly half of the $7.9 billion in payments went to those who are disabled or blind.
 
As the JLARC report found, "the eligibility determination process is complex and involves multiple federal, state, and local agencies." While the goal may be to have no errors, the level of performance in Virginia is much better than the national average and is quite remarkable considering the kind of change the program is currently undergoing. The JLARC report concluded that "the state may have spent between $21 million and $38 million on individuals no longer eligible," or less than 0.5 percent at a maximum.
 
No estimate is offered for the cost to the recommended remedies, but certainly they will exceed the cost of the perceived problem--fraud and waste. In addition to costs, the proposed solution opens up a myriad of large data bases on personal finances, real estate holdings, and employment that the General Assembly may not wish to make available to state agencies. The report has no mention of the amount the state will recover; nor does it mention in the case of fraud that the Attorney General's Medicaid fraud unit was found in 2013 to be the best in the country.
 
Opponents of closing the coverage gap for an estimated 400,000 working Virginians will no doubt nitpick the latest report and use it as an excuse for not taking action. Such a misuse of information will be felt by the neediest of Virginians. 
  

Virginia Report on Comcast Channel 28
  
Tune in to Ken's weekly television program, Virginia Report, on Reston Comcast Channel 28 for public service programming (Verizon Channel 1981). Ken interviews state and local leaders who are making news by making a difference.

TONIGHT- Wednesday, November 18 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Susan Miranda and Kelley Organek of the UpCycle Creative Reuse Center

Tuesday, November 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, November 25 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Karyn Sandelman and Dave Trachtenberg of Minds, Inc.
 
Virginia Report is also available for viewing online at https://vimeo.com/album/1650266.


Bulletin Board 

Christmas Tree Sale
Vale United Methodist Church of Oakton's Christmas tree lot opens on Saturday, November 28, at 9:00 a.m. Proceeds from the tree sale will be donated to the global relief organization Stop Hunger Now. An average sized/priced tree purchased from Vale's tree lot will enable Stop Hunger Now to deliver 100 life-saving meals to hungry children and families around the world. Vale Church is located at the corner of Vale Road and Fox Mill Road in Oakton (11528 Vale Road, Oakton). The tree lot is open weeknights from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 703-620-2594 or email vale.church@verizon.net.
____________________

Veterans ID Card

This little card is a big deal. Your Virginia Veterans ID card is a   convenient way to show proof of your veteran status so you can enjoy the benefits you deserve. Hundreds of Virginia businesses offer discounts for veterans carrying a valid ID. Five ways to get your Veterans ID Card*:
*Requires a $10 DMV application fee. For full eligibility requirements, visit www.dmvNOW.com/military.

____________________
   

Click here for details. 
  
   

Calendar of Events  
   
Saturday, November 21, 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Support Bite Me Cancer--and Enjoy Delicious Food! A portion of the proceeds all day will go to Bite Me Cancer. At Burger 21, 43800 Central Station Drive, #100, Ashburn. Download a flyer here.

Monday, November 23, Last day to donate to Thanksgiving Food Drive. In support of the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for local families and individuals served by Cornerstones and in partnership with Reston Community Center, Reston Town Center is collecting donations of non-perishable food in building lobby boxes. More is at restoncommunitycenter.com.
 
Tuesday, November 24, noon to 7:00 p.m., INOVA Blood Drive, beside the Pavilion in Reston Town Center. Schedule an appointment by calling 866.256.6372, visit inova.org/donateblood or register on site.   

Tuesday, November 24, 7:30 p.m., 17th Annual Community Thanksgiving Worship Service hosted by Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 2589 Chain Bridge Road, Vienna. Clergy from participating congregations will lead the service with prayers for peace and thanksgiving. Local choirs from participating congregations will join together under one roof to provide an evening of inspirational music. An offering will be collected to support The Lamb Center. Contact Deborah Cunningham at debbielcunningham@gmail.com for more information.

Wednesday, November 25, 7:30 p.m., Annual Ecumenical-Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Eve Service, at United Christian Parish, 11508 North Shore Drive in Reston. Call 703-620-3065 for more information. 

Friday, November 27, 11:00 a.m., "Home Sweet Home," 25th Annual Reston Holiday Parade, Market Street, Reston Town Center. See Macy's-style balloons, marching bands, dancers, antique cars, community groups, costume characters and more welcoming the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus in a horse-drawn carriage. Visit restontowncenter.com/events/signature-events/ for details on the parade and other holiday events.  

Saturday, December 5, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Alternative Gift Market, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1625 Wiehle Avenue, Reston. Visit over 30 booths of socially conscious gift ideas from local and international charitable organizations. Check out the Shopping List on the website to see the 60+ gift options available. 100% of all donations and proceeds go directly to the charity of your choice. All donations are tax deductible. For more information, visit uureston.org/agm. Download a flyer here.

Saturday, December 5, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m., The Wonder of the Season: Around the World. Celebrate the holidays with The Reston Chorale performing beloved carols from around the globe, plus Daniel Pinkham's Christmas Cantata, featuring the Washington Symphonic Brass Quintet. The concerts will take place at the Reston Community Center, Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. Tickets are available online or (beginning November 21) at the RCC Box Office, 703.476.4500 Ext. 3.

Wednesday, December 9, 7:30 pm, Reston Sings! Handel's Messiah, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church (Chapel), 11900 Lawyers Road, Reston. Join the chorus this holiday season with The Reston Chorale's annual Messiah Sing-Along, benefiting Cornerstones (formerly Reston Interfaith.) Bring a new or gently used coat -- or new hat, gloves, socks or scarf -- and receive $5 off the price of admission.  Tickets and information are available online, or call 703.834.0079. 

Saturday, December 12, 4:00 p.m., A Celebration of Christmas Choir Concert, at Washington Plaza Baptist Church, 1615 Washington Plaza, at Lake Anne in Reston. Call the church at 703-471-5225 for more information.
 

36th District 

Reston, Virginia
 

Click here to check out 
Fairfax County's "Five for Free" Services in November
 
In This Issue
Commentary..."Medicaid in Perspective"
"Virginia Report"
Bulletin Board
Check Your Calendar

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News


Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News is authorized by Kenneth R. Plum
 and paid for by Friends of Delegate Ken Plum.