Autism Spectrum Disorder Wavier
Sign Now
Dear Honorable:
Governor Thomas Vilsack, Senator Wally Horn, Senator Andy McKean, Senator Mary Lundby, Representative Todd Taylor, Representative Dick Taylor, Representative Ro Forge, Representative Dick Myers and other state Representatives and Senators US General Assembly Senators and Representatives
I am requesting State Resolution for a Bill entitled to be an act for an
Autism Spectrum Disorder Wavier
Current waivers are not implemented to meet the needs of persons with autism.
Current Wavier:
Mental Retardation Waiver (MR Waiver) is available to people with an IQ of 75 or below, with a diagnosis of mental retardation. If a person has an IQ of 76 or higher, that person is not eligible for services. Based on population projections and national statistics, we estimate over 4,000 Iowans fall under Autism Spectrum Disorder and over 1,800 of these Iowans function in the "normal" IQ range. Thus, the MR Waiver does not cover 1,800 Iowans with autism this would leave almost half without any financial help.
A person with autism who has an IQ of 76 or above is probably not able to hold a high paying job. If that person's family is not able to financially provide for a supported living arrangement when they are no longer around, that person may be forced out in the streets.
Even if the MR Waiver covers the family member now with autism, there are no guarantees for the future. The goal of services is to enable a person to improve him/her self. From time to time, a person receiving services under the MR Waiver must be re-tested. As a result of receiving services, a person on the border of eligibility may actually test out of eligibility for the MR Waiver. From time to time, the government changes criteria for the MR Waiver and access can become more difficult with each change
Individuals with autism should be entitled to Health insurance at no cost to the family. This medical coverage should include Alternative Treatments, therapies, and all testing involved with autism in addition to or amended to the already "in place medical coverage". It is well known throughout the world that most parents and Professionals are more and more utilizing the alternative treatment, therapy, and educational options with autism. Medicare and Medicaid do not currently cover them, leaving the parents with already stressed bank accounts with the bill.
Children with autism are seeing many benefits many even gaining much needed ground which otherwise might have been lost. Iowa needs to help support these parents, children, and individuals with autism utilizing these treatment, therapy, and educational options, and help to pay for these costs.
Purpose
The Autism Spectrum Disorder Waiver through Medical Assistance will allow eligible children with autism spectrum disorder to receive additional waiver services to support them in their home and community.
Background
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder of any degree need ongoing services that this improved wavier would offer. Many children not currently covered may have just barely crossed the borderline for the current criteria, not to say that the individual still did need the services. The individual was just dropped because of a I Q. Yet the doctors, therapist, educators, department of human service workers, respite workers, the special needs educators, parent advocators, and parents know that they do still need the services outlined within the Services to Support the Individual in the Community section.
Even though the individual may not be able to do many of the things a child without autism might do at the same age level, the IQ criteria states that these services are no longer to be paid for.
Target Population
Any Individual who is diagnosed "with" or "at risk" Autism Spectrum Disorder, defined in the DSM-IV as 299.00 & 299.80 by one or more doctors;
* Individuals of all ages and receives more than 15 hours per week of special education and related services or special treatments, therapies, or services for this disability;
* Individuals who meet an ICF-MR Level-Of-Care, that is, an institutional level of care, and can be safely maintained in the community through waiver services; and
* Individuals who are enrolled in Rare and Expensive Case Management (REM) or in any other Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver are excluded.
Services to Support the Individual in the Community
Ё Respite Care
Ё Environmental Accessibility Adaptations
Ё Beginning Family Training for Autism (Including out-of-state training)
Ё Ongoing Family Training
Ё Transition to employment/ Supported Employment
Ё Day Habilitation (regular / intensive,/ therapeutic)
Ё Residential Habilitation
Ё Alternative Treatments, therapies, and testing
Ё Targeted Case Management Program through the existing regulations Service Coordination for Children with Disabilities
Benefits v Families will be eligible for respite care, environmental modifications to their home, and family training that are not provided through local school systems, early intervention programs, or Medicaid as determined by the Waiver Plan of Care Team.
* Health insurance for the child at no cost to the family.
* Day Habilitation Services includes: intensive individual support services provided in the home, at school or in the community, therapeutic integration services, and regular day habilitation.
* Local school systems, specialized programs, and early intervention programs that become Medicaid providers will be able to seek reimbursement for some of the specialized services for which they are currently unable to bill.
* Additional children will be Medicaid eligible and receive Medicaid-covered IFSP/IEP services.
Disadvantages
* Significant administrative requirements at the local and State level as well as for the family. Can be handled by the persons already in place workers.
Administration
* Financial eligibility will be based upon the childs income and resources. The Department of Human Resources will determine financial eligibility.
* The Iowa State Department of Education (ISDE), the local early intervention programs, and the local school systems will be responsible for administering the waiver.
* Families should contact their early intervention system, or the Special Education Office in their local school system for the name of the contact person to initiate the eligibility determination process.
* The waiver proposes to serve approximately 1800 children the first year, 2000 the second year, and 3500 the third year on a statewide basis.
* The appeals process for this waiver is through a request for a Fair Hearing under the Iowa State Medical Assistance Program/ DHMH.
* Start Date - June 1, 2002
NOTE: All Waiver Service providers must be approved Medicaid providers and appropriately licensed or certified (or) an appropriately licensed Specialty Laboratory, Specialty Doctor, Specialty Training, testing, or services not offered in the state of Iowa.
Peacefully,
Constituent
L.D. Wedewer,
Mother of a child with autism
Autism Awakening President and Founder
Iowa Autism Ambassador
Iowa Autism Council
America Autism Council
Iowa Autism Forum
Iowa Autism Registry
World Wide Autism Registry
Autism Awakening Autism First Steps
1900 K Street S.W.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404
319-364-2687 Phone and FAX
[email protected] (personal)
[email protected] (business)
www.AutismAwakekening.com (Web Site)
Governor Thomas Vilsack, Senator Wally Horn, Senator Andy McKean, Senator Mary Lundby, Representative Todd Taylor, Representative Dick Taylor, Representative Ro Forge, Representative Dick Myers and other state Representatives and Senators US General Assembly Senators and Representatives
I am requesting State Resolution for a Bill entitled to be an act for an
Autism Spectrum Disorder Wavier
Current waivers are not implemented to meet the needs of persons with autism.
Current Wavier:
Mental Retardation Waiver (MR Waiver) is available to people with an IQ of 75 or below, with a diagnosis of mental retardation. If a person has an IQ of 76 or higher, that person is not eligible for services. Based on population projections and national statistics, we estimate over 4,000 Iowans fall under Autism Spectrum Disorder and over 1,800 of these Iowans function in the "normal" IQ range. Thus, the MR Waiver does not cover 1,800 Iowans with autism this would leave almost half without any financial help.
A person with autism who has an IQ of 76 or above is probably not able to hold a high paying job. If that person's family is not able to financially provide for a supported living arrangement when they are no longer around, that person may be forced out in the streets.
Even if the MR Waiver covers the family member now with autism, there are no guarantees for the future. The goal of services is to enable a person to improve him/her self. From time to time, a person receiving services under the MR Waiver must be re-tested. As a result of receiving services, a person on the border of eligibility may actually test out of eligibility for the MR Waiver. From time to time, the government changes criteria for the MR Waiver and access can become more difficult with each change
Individuals with autism should be entitled to Health insurance at no cost to the family. This medical coverage should include Alternative Treatments, therapies, and all testing involved with autism in addition to or amended to the already "in place medical coverage". It is well known throughout the world that most parents and Professionals are more and more utilizing the alternative treatment, therapy, and educational options with autism. Medicare and Medicaid do not currently cover them, leaving the parents with already stressed bank accounts with the bill.
Children with autism are seeing many benefits many even gaining much needed ground which otherwise might have been lost. Iowa needs to help support these parents, children, and individuals with autism utilizing these treatment, therapy, and educational options, and help to pay for these costs.
Purpose
The Autism Spectrum Disorder Waiver through Medical Assistance will allow eligible children with autism spectrum disorder to receive additional waiver services to support them in their home and community.
Background
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder of any degree need ongoing services that this improved wavier would offer. Many children not currently covered may have just barely crossed the borderline for the current criteria, not to say that the individual still did need the services. The individual was just dropped because of a I Q. Yet the doctors, therapist, educators, department of human service workers, respite workers, the special needs educators, parent advocators, and parents know that they do still need the services outlined within the Services to Support the Individual in the Community section.
Even though the individual may not be able to do many of the things a child without autism might do at the same age level, the IQ criteria states that these services are no longer to be paid for.
Target Population
Any Individual who is diagnosed "with" or "at risk" Autism Spectrum Disorder, defined in the DSM-IV as 299.00 & 299.80 by one or more doctors;
* Individuals of all ages and receives more than 15 hours per week of special education and related services or special treatments, therapies, or services for this disability;
* Individuals who meet an ICF-MR Level-Of-Care, that is, an institutional level of care, and can be safely maintained in the community through waiver services; and
* Individuals who are enrolled in Rare and Expensive Case Management (REM) or in any other Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver are excluded.
Services to Support the Individual in the Community
Ё Respite Care
Ё Environmental Accessibility Adaptations
Ё Beginning Family Training for Autism (Including out-of-state training)
Ё Ongoing Family Training
Ё Transition to employment/ Supported Employment
Ё Day Habilitation (regular / intensive,/ therapeutic)
Ё Residential Habilitation
Ё Alternative Treatments, therapies, and testing
Ё Targeted Case Management Program through the existing regulations Service Coordination for Children with Disabilities
Benefits v Families will be eligible for respite care, environmental modifications to their home, and family training that are not provided through local school systems, early intervention programs, or Medicaid as determined by the Waiver Plan of Care Team.
* Health insurance for the child at no cost to the family.
* Day Habilitation Services includes: intensive individual support services provided in the home, at school or in the community, therapeutic integration services, and regular day habilitation.
* Local school systems, specialized programs, and early intervention programs that become Medicaid providers will be able to seek reimbursement for some of the specialized services for which they are currently unable to bill.
* Additional children will be Medicaid eligible and receive Medicaid-covered IFSP/IEP services.
Disadvantages
* Significant administrative requirements at the local and State level as well as for the family. Can be handled by the persons already in place workers.
Administration
* Financial eligibility will be based upon the childs income and resources. The Department of Human Resources will determine financial eligibility.
* The Iowa State Department of Education (ISDE), the local early intervention programs, and the local school systems will be responsible for administering the waiver.
* Families should contact their early intervention system, or the Special Education Office in their local school system for the name of the contact person to initiate the eligibility determination process.
* The waiver proposes to serve approximately 1800 children the first year, 2000 the second year, and 3500 the third year on a statewide basis.
* The appeals process for this waiver is through a request for a Fair Hearing under the Iowa State Medical Assistance Program/ DHMH.
* Start Date - June 1, 2002
NOTE: All Waiver Service providers must be approved Medicaid providers and appropriately licensed or certified (or) an appropriately licensed Specialty Laboratory, Specialty Doctor, Specialty Training, testing, or services not offered in the state of Iowa.
Peacefully,
Constituent
L.D. Wedewer,
Mother of a child with autism
Autism Awakening President and Founder
Iowa Autism Ambassador
Iowa Autism Council
America Autism Council
Iowa Autism Forum
Iowa Autism Registry
World Wide Autism Registry
Autism Awakening Autism First Steps
1900 K Street S.W.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404
319-364-2687 Phone and FAX
[email protected] (personal)
[email protected] (business)
www.AutismAwakekening.com (Web Site)
Sign The Petition
Continue with Google
OR
If you already have an account please sign in, otherwise register an account for free then sign the petition filling the fields below.
Email and password will be your account data, you will be able to sign other petitions after logging in.
Shoutbox
Goal
450 signatures
Goal: 100
Latest Signatures
24 December 2015
16 December 2015
12 December 2015
448.
Wendy V
|
As a mother or a child with Autism I know the challenges parents face in Iowa when trying to obtain crucial health care and supportive services. Please support the request for this waiver.
5 December 2015
23 November 2015
26 October 2015
24 October 2015
26 September 2015
19 September 2015
442.
Alison S
|
I am a mother of a special needs child and know that without the services my daughter receives, she wouldn't be living at home. Although the services still aren't enough, they just don't understand what it really takes to raise "our kids". Best Wishes on
4 September 2015
2 September 2015
21 August 2015
18 August 2015
14 August 2015
437.
Pamela B
|
a child with PDD/NOS does not qualify for the MR or the Child mental health waiver unless they qualify as MR, and even then the MR waiver does not provide some services that are necessary to assist the person or the family of the person affected with auti
24 July 2015
436.
Anne C
|
Having waivers that specifically target the need (diagnosis) of the individuals is where healthcare should direct its efforts. Each sitiuation and diagnosis dictates different needs.
19 July 2015
12 July 2015
20 June 2015
14 June 2015
10 June 2015
23 May 2015
20 May 2015
31 March 2015
29 March 2015
29 March 2015
Tags
No tags
Embed Codes
direct link
link for html
link for forum without title
link for forum with title
