AFC Community Questions Cut
Important Question and Answers

1.  Why do AFC Caregivers object to this cut?
  • 14 days respite care for an AFC family is desparately needed as relief from 7 Day/ 24 hour/365 days a year care
  • Respite is rare time off as well as for caregiver illnesses, bereavement and other personal leaves
  • this cut is inconsistent with the House restoring Respite Care for non AFC families
  • Caregivers cannot afford unpaid time off
  • AFC Caregivers cannot afford to pay out of their pockets for relief
  • this cut saves the Commonwealth very little money and could backfire causing less caregivers to provide in home care forcing the state to utilize more expensive settings
  • Mass Health is in effect proposing an AFC rate cut without adhering to the required procedure for rate setting
 2.  Can the Legislature reverse this cut?
  • ADDP, The Arc, MCAFC and others have asked the Senate to restore this cut for both FY 15 and FY 16
  • The Legislature,
     EOHHS and the Governor are responsive to both public and legislative opinions, thus contacting your state senator is adviseable.


AFC Families Urged to Submit Public Comment

 

  

Members of ADDP and the Massachusetts Council for Adult Foster Care are uring their members, concerned about Adult Foster Care, to submit public comments regarding Mass Health's decision to eliminate the ability of AFC Providers to bill for Alternative Caregivers for 14 days per year giving the caregiver a 14 day break from their 24/7/365 responsibilities.

Last week, Mass Health Assistant Secretary Daniel Tsai notified AFC Providers of the deparment's intention to cut $3.5 million from the Mass Health Budget as part of the Governor's 9C Cut.  Overall the Governor was trying to save the state $1.8 Billion, however this cut will only save the state around $1.75 million in state funds.

AFC caregivers, just like other family members who care for a loved one in their home, often find full time care for an elder or person with a disability to be exhausting, and cherish the limited opportunities for a break, which has historically been provided by 14 days of respite services allowing an alternative caregiver to come in to give AFC caregivers a break. 

Mass Health has filed an emergency rule, thus there will be no public hearing on this matter, however Mass Health is obligated to listen and interested in hearing from stakeholders regarding the impact of this cut.  Strong testimony may have the ability to persuade reconsideraton by the Administration.

Interested parties are asked to submit public testimony  by May 22, 2015 by writing to:

Daniel Tsai
Assistant Secretary
for Mass Health 
EOHHS
One Ashburton Place, Room 1109
Boston, MA 02108

or by e-mail to: masshealthpublicnotice@state.ma.us

AFC Caregivers, providers, famiy members and advocates are urged to tell your story of how the AFC 14 day Alternative Caregiver cut will impact you.

If possible you may wish to share a copy with ADDP by emailing it to garyblumenthal@addp.org
 
Thank you.