Your Monday Morning Update!

 April 21, 2014

Your Monday Morning Update:

There’s a tranquil hush over the city of Topeka these days. That is until April 30th, when legislators hightail it back to complete their task of making or breaking the laws that help govern our state. When legislators return on April 30, they will begin to work on their annual veto session. This is typically when they clean up bills, pass or pass over things that have been sitting at the top of their “to do” lists, or even handle a surprise issue that always tends to pop up. After implementing a two-year budget cycle, this second go-round will also offer them an opportunity to tighten, adjust and tweak the FY’15 spending plan.

As far as this veto session goes, I’ve heard a number of people say that the less time legislators spend in this session, the better off we are!

Our Johnson County delegation have been fairly busy meeting and greeting their public and hosting town halls. I hope you have taken advantage of the opportunity to attend these or meet with your legislators. Every event that I’ve attended, the school finance bill has made top billing. Since that was the largest unknown piece of the puzzle, we now know where the $129 million is coming from, so legislators must now focus on the holes it created and how best to fill those holes. My dad would recommend a little bit of putty.

There is a hole that hasn’t really been considered this legislative stint. A hole that started as a pinprick years ago, and is now almost a ravine—the intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) waiting list. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services are requiring the State and the Managed Care Organizations (through KanCare) to dissolve the underserved list, but thousands of other folks that have absolutely NO SERVICES, must continue to wait. It’s been a long six years or more for many of them.

I listened to national call the other day, where each state had two minutes to share what was going on in their legislature. 32 states participated in the call. Ten of the states said that their legislature has allocated new dollars for their I/DD waiting list. Eleven states said that there was new money for rates (payment to providers). It has been more than six years since I/DD providers have had a rate increase.

So what did we have to say about Kansas? We passed a minimal autism insurance bill (it is a good first step) and well…that’s about it.

Although I hear people say “it’s just not a good year to ask for money for the waiting list or rates”, it’s historically noticeable that it’s NEVER been a good year to ask the legislature for increases. In financially good times or bad times, it’s always difficult to get them to prioritize funding our services. Like it or not, we must continue to share our message that the I/DD waiting list must be addressed and reimbursement rates to providers must be adjusted!

Since I’m a bit of a dreamer, wouldn’t it be swell if when legislators return to Topeka to complete their work, funding our concerns is that little surprise issue that pops up! So, until the gavel drops…ask away! If we don’t ask for the order – we won’t get it. Then again, that’s just my $.02.

Warm regards,

Lurena Mead
Community Relations Manager
Johnson County Developmental Supports
10501 Lackman Road Lenexa, Kansas 66219
Direct 913 826-2212| Office 913 826-2626
TDD 800 766-3777