Note: We are in the process of updating this page, waiting for our bill to be reintroduced in the Assembly; Senator Rivera has already reintroduced it in the Senate, S328. The reintroduced bill can be read at https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/s328
Here are the facts:
- The proposed changes to Medicaid home care eligibility will DENY THOUSANDS, leaving them in the community with no care or forcing them into an institution where thousands have died of COVID-19.
- Governor Hochul has not responded to ADAPT’s demands to REVOKE these changes and stop more people from being funneled into institutions.
- Luckily, the Senate and the Assembly have the opportunity to change this — BILL A???;S328 to repeal the stricter criteria MUST go in the budget NOW!
What exactly is changing? The eligibility criteria for Medicaid home care. People will now need ‘physical maneuvering’ with at least 3 “activities of daily living” from a very SHORT list that excludes many necessary tasks for our survival.
This is a DRAMATIC and DETRIMENTAL change. Under this, it will actually be EASIER to meet eligibility for NURSING HOMES over home care. We have spent YEARS as a community fighting against institutional bias, and this change would set us back DECADES.
In-depth video guide: HERE. | In-depth document guide: HERE. | Eligibility quiz: HERE.
The Time to Act is NOW
DNY ADAPT started our fight to restore home care access in the summer of 2020. After two years of advocacy, the bill had not passed. On October 1st 2022, we officially launched the Restore Home Care Access Coalition! The coalition is composed of individuals and organizations that are collaborating to support our fight.
We will be updating our call to action with the Coalition throughout the year – please check back frequently!
In the meantime, please visit the Coalition’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
A few ways to support the cause:
- Call and leave messages for the key targets that determine the budget
- Engage with us on #Twitter!
- Have your organization release a Memo of Support.
- SHARE THE MESSAGE! Help us educate the public, your family, your colleagues, your neighbors, and the larger community.
5 minute video explaining the upcoming changes:
Don’t just take it from us …
Memorandums of Support:
Articles and other press:
Caring Across Generations article.
Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of NYS (CDPAANYS) article.
CBS Albany article.
Staten Island Advance article.
This is about something much bigger than us as individuals. This is about disabled lives being DEMONIZED, DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, DEVALUED, and DISMISSED. Everyone is going to be disabled someday, even if we as a society don’t want to admit that. Everyone deserves to age with comfort knowing that services will be readily available when they need them. This is not an “us” versus “them” — this affects US ALL.
Downstate New York ADAPT 