November 12 Legislative Update

Your Monday Morning Update:

November 12, 2012

Do you have the “election blues” or a “winner’s high”? Makes no difference…as my wise and wonderful 91-year old Dad says, “It is what it is, now go and do your best.”  This is also the man who likes to eat a raw onion like an apple, so you might want to consider that, before taking my word that he is a wise man!

After evaluating State election results, we definitely have our work cut out for us. Interestingly enough, this is the largest number of “freshmen” that the Statehouse will have ever seen. All 165 legislative seats were for up for election.  Of those seats, there will be 68 new legislators in the Statehouse in January.  I was a little discouraged when intellectual/developmental disabilities lost many of our “friends”. Because I’m the eternal optimist, I decided to look on the bright side and concentrate on all of the educating we get to do!

In a couple of weeks, I’ll send out a chart of legislators, districts, and contact information.  We will need to make a concerted effort to build relationships with our legislators.  They will be anxious to learn from you, their constituents.

The KanCare waiver that was submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is still sitting on someone’s desk in Washington.  Kansas Administrators keep saying they are positive it will be approved before the January 1, 2013 “go live” date.  I continue to hope that is stays on the very bottom of a very large pile.

The State has said that Medicaid enrollees should be receiving their enrollment packets in the next couple of weeks.  Be on the lookout for them.

Hopefully, you all remember the “End the Wait” campaign.  This group will be holding a meeting on Wednesday, November 13^th at 6:30 p.m. at JCDS.  Check out the flyer below for additional information.  Notice that there is a call in number for those of you who want to attend, but are unable to get away.  It’s an easy way to get in your jammies early and still participate!