People with Disabilities & SD Awareness

Postponed!!: Long Term Services and Supports (CLASS) mark-up postponed

From Office of Senator Edward M. Kennedy (June 25, 2009):
Mark-up of the CLASS Act has been postponed!

The Senate HELP committee will not be able to get to mark-up of the
long term services and supports in the Senate health reform bill (CLASS Act) scheduled for today, June 25. Mark-up has been POSTPONED until after the July 4th recess, and a new date and time has not been announced.

Long-term Services and Supports
June 26, 2009

Action Alert: Calls Urgently Needed to All Senators - Support Health Care Reform

From CCD (6/23/09):

URGENT ACTION ALERT! Calls Needed to All Senators!!

People with all types of disabilities have a significant stake in securing comprehensive health reform legislation this year that improves access to quality, affordable health and long term services and supports. According to a 2008 National Center for Health Statistics report from 2001-2005, approximately 19% of non-institutionalized adults with mobility, sensory, and cognitive disabilities and mental illnesses and 17% of people with complex disabilities (such as those that limit self-care, work, or social or leisure activities) reported being uninsured. This is compared to approximately 19% of adults who do not have a disability who were uninsured. Twenty-eight percent of people with mental illness reported being uninsured, the highest rate among people with disabilities.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee has begun its mark-up on health reform legislation. This historic legislation addresses many of these access issues including: prohibiting discrimination based on health status or disability; requiring guaranteed issue of insurance policies; prohibiting pre-existing condition exclusions; prohibiting life-time and annual caps on coverage; and inclusion of community-based long term services and supports.

Offices on the Hill are being flooded with calls and emails opposing health care reform. Please contact your Senators as soon as possible to voice your support for health care reform efforts. This will likely be the only vehicle for enacting long term services and supports.

Your voice is needed now. Use this toll-free number to contact the offices of your two Senators: 866-210-3678.

Urge others to call their Senators, also! Our voices must be heard!

Resource: http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/longterm_care/

I believed from a newsletter I just opened that it was on July 7. Did anybody gone and if so could tell the rest of us about this bill? What went on?

Here's the newsletter:

Action Alert: Long Term Services and Supports (CLASS) to be marked-up TOMORROW
*** Action Alert:
Pack the Senate Hearing TUESDAY ***

The CLASS Act, complement to the Community Choice Act which will give more people with disabilities access to Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS), is going before the Senate HELP Committee.

When: TOMORROW (July 7) at 10am
Where: Russell Caucus Room (Russell 325)

All Advocates, Activists, Family and Friends of the Disability Community are URGED to attend to show legislators how important this issue is to our community. Let them know we don't want to wait any longer for Long Term Services and Supports in Healthcare Reform Legislation!

As you know, health reform, including long term services and supports, is a top priority for our community. The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, Section 191 of the Affordable Choices Act, is one element of the long term services package that we are supporting.

The CLASS Act will create a new national insurance program to help adults who have or develop functional impairments to remain independent, employed, and stay a part of their community. It is an important step in the evolution of public policy toward a new focus on helping individuals overcome barriers to independence that they may confront due to functional impairments.

For a full description of the bill, the press release from its introduction, and a list of supporters go to http://kennedy.senate.gov/newsroom/press_release.cfm?id=ff644903-1844-4478-b53a-5cfb712a5850

MODERATOR, Sarah Peterson, JUSTICE FOR ALL -- A Service of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).

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