The Final FY2010 Wage Index Rule was posted on the Federal Register public inspection desk just now.  NHPCO is thrilled to announce that the reimbursement cuts associated with the elimination of the Budget Neutrality Adjustment Factor have now been spread out over 7 years, instead of being harshly phased in over just 2 years.

For nearly 18 months, the hospice community has been fighting a regulation originally proposed in the FY2009 Wage Index issued by the previous Administration, which would reduce hospice reimbursement by eliminating the budget neutrality adjustment factor (BNAF).   In the FY2010 Wage Index released today, the current Administration considered, through their review of the submitted comments, the severity of the economic conditions facing the hospice community and the ever-increasing desire by patients and families to have access to high-quality end-of-life care.

The seven-year phase out of the BNAF affords the hospice community a more rational approach to absorbing the eventual rate reductions over a much longer period of time.  While the end result is the same, a substantial and unwarranted rate reduction, this approach recognizes the ongoing financial pressures facing the hospice community and prioritizes compassionate and high-quality care for our nation’s most vulnerable population, the dying and their families.  More information…

Source:  NHPCO

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen G. Sebelius US Signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Today, the United States joins 141other nations who have signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The signing of the UN Convention sends an important message that this country is committed to equal rights for people with disabilities, in the United States and around the world.

Another important example of our commitment is the President’s launch of the Year of Community Living in June.   The Department of Health and Human Services has already begun to carry out the Community Living initiative by establishing an HHS Coordinating Council, led by the Office on Disability.

The Administration on Aging, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Office for Civil Rights, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and—most recently—the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Administration for Children and Families, and the Office of Public Health and Science have joined the Coordinating Council.  I am pleased that we have assembled such considerable expertise to ensure that living independently with a disability is a real choice.

HHS is proud to support the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the first new UN human rights convention of the 21st century.  We look forward to advancing dignity, autonomy, full inclusion, and equality of opportunity for Americans, and for people with disabilities around the world.

Source: www.dhhs.gov

NASW participated in two White House conference calls this week on health care reform.

• Conference call with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sibelius and Mary Wakefield, Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) regarding new funding for health care professions training.  See http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/07/20090728c.html for the press release. For information about the National Health Services Corps Loan Repayment Program for clinical social workers, visit our loan forgiveness page.
• Conference call with Tina Tchen, White House Office of Public Engagement and with Christina Romer, Chair, Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) regarding small business and health care reform.  Romer was online yesterday holding a live chat to answer questions on small business and health insurance reform. If you are a member of the social network LinkedIn, go take part in the discussion she has initiated there. Click here for a video by President Obama on this topic.  He discusses a key factor that has been considered in the development of the health insurance reform proposals that are being considered: the impact of reform on small business.

The Corporation for National and Community Service hosts the most comprehensive collection of information on volunteering in the U.S. at its Web site: www.VolunteeringInAmerica.gov.  This site allows civic leaders, nonprofit organizations, and interested individuals to retrieve a wide range of information regarding trends and demographics in volunteering in their regions, states, and almost 200 cities. This document highlights some of the key findings from the data. The 2009 Volunteering in America Report now available at www.VolunteeringInAmerica.gov

Want to create your own service project or event, but not sure how? Check out helpful toolkits at www.serve.gov to get you started.

Already involved in volunteer efforts?  Click here to tell us your story of service today!

In an effort to keep you informed of the work NASW is doing on health care reform, we will periodically send out a roundup of activities.

Legislation Introduced
On July 14, 2009, Rep. Dingell (MI-15) introduced the America’s Affordable Health Choice Act of 2009, H.R. 3200. This act is the result of work among three committees in the House to fulfill President Obama’s goals of reducing health care costs, protecting and increasing consumers’ choices, and guaranteeing access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans.  NASW was pleased with this initial bill.  Three committees have considered the bill and numerous amendments have been made as the bill moves through the legislative process.   To watch the committee markups and obtain information about the amendments, go to the Energy and Commerce Committee, Ways and Means Committee, or Education and Labor Committee. The Energy and Commerce Committee has yet to report the bill out of committee.

Legislative Climate
While House Democratic leadership has negotiated with conservative Blue Dog Democrats to achieve significant progress, the party lacks sufficient support from its own Members in the Senate.  As a result, the White House and Democratic Senate leadership are working with moderate Republicans to try and achieve meaningful reform.  The primary items up for discussion are the idea of a government “cooperative” to compete with private health care companies, rather than a public option, as well as a possible tax on higher-cost health care plans in the country.  Meanwhile, President Obama has continued to tour the country, providing updates on health care legislation and urging Americans to support his ideals for reform.

Meetings Attended
NASW has attended several meetings on health care reform over the past week, including:

• Patients’ Access to Responsible Care Alliance meeting focusing on the legislative concerns of non-medical doctor providers participating in the Medicare program.
• Alliance for Health Reform briefing on mental health benefits in health care reform legislation.
• Senate staff on an amendment concerning state and federal law on non-medical doctor billing under health care reform.
• Key member of Congress on health care reform during a PACE-supported dinner.

Letters Signed (The text of these letters will be posted on the Health Care Reform Page)

• Mental Health Liaison Group to Chairmen Waxman, Rangel, and Miller expressing support for H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act.
• Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter expressing support for the Reed Amendment to the Affordable Health Choices Act. This important measure is aimed at improving the overall health status of Americans served by Community Mental Health Center (CMHCs) and other community-based mental health and addiction providers.
• Four letters from the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities supporting the introduction of H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act. The letters went to Chairmen Waxman, Rangel, and Miller, and Speaker Pelosi.
• Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities letter to Chairman Kennedy expressing deep appreciation for the effort that has gone into getting the Affordable Health Choices Act successfully passed by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.  This comprehensive health reform legislation represents a positive sea change that will significantly improve access to health and long term services and supports for people with disabilities and chronic conditions.

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Resources

• Families USA released a new report, Coverage for America: We All Stand to Gain. The report provides state-by-state estimates of how many people will gain coverage under America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009. The report indicates that the health reform bill proposed by key committees in the House will benefit all Americans.
  
• For ongoing information, please visit our health care page.
  
• Keep up with the latest from NASW on Facebook, Twitter, and the NASW Advocacy Blog.  We want your feedback: Post to the fan page’s wall and leave your comments on the blog.
  
• You can visit the White House Web page to see updates on health care reform. After you read it, come and post a note on our Social Work Blog (hyperlink to the blog)  about it.

NASW has recently signed onto the CCD Letter to Chairman Kennedy

“The following members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) are writing to express our deep appreciation for the effort that has gone into getting the Affordable Health Choices Act successfully passed by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.”

For more information on NASW’s Health Care Reform efforts, visit www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/healthcarereform

NASW is actively involved in the United We Serve initiative.  Click here to tell us your story of service to your community.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 20, 2009
CONTACT: Sandy Scott
Phone: 202-606-6724
Email: sscott@cns.gov

United We Serve Kicks Off Community Renewal Week

Serve.gov website to highlight volunteers battling hunger, homelessness, and poverty

Washington D.C. — Starting today and lasting through the rest of the summer, President Obama’s United We Serve initiative is kicking off a series of issue weeks that will shine the spotlight on Americans who are joining with their neighbors to tackle tough challenges through volunteer service.

The first issue week, Community Renewal, runs from July 20-26 and will highlight volunteer efforts to build and repair housing, clean up streets and neighborhoods, prevent foreclosures, teach financial literacy, and combat hunger and homelessness.

The issue weeks will highlight service projects taking place across the country and feature stories of ordinary Americans making a difference on the new stories of service blog at Serve.gov. Weeks are planned for each of the five United We Serve focus areas: community renewal, education, energy and the environment, health, and safety and security. An additional week will highlight service by people of faith.

“Every day millions of Americans are strengthening their communities through service,” said Nicola Goren, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which is leading the Administration’s United We Serve initiative. “By shining the spotlight on their good works, we hope to inspire more people to answer the President’s call to service.”

Here are some of the activities taking place during Community Renewal week:

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Youth Gathering, New Orleans: Nearly four years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still rebuilding. More than 25,000 high-school aged Lutherans and 8,600 adult leaders from across the country will converge in New Orleans from July 22-26 for a servant ministry that features community service through more than 150 projects, including repairing homes, beautifying neighborhoods, and creating 13,500 back-to-school backpacks to be distributed to every pre-K-3rd grade student in the public school system. (Click here for more info)
  
• New York Yankees HOPE Week, New York City: On July 20, the New York Yankees will launch HOPE Week (Helping Others Persevere & Excel); a community program that will feature five volunteer stories intended to inspire individuals into action in their own communities. Each day from July 20-24, Yankees players will go into the community to highlight stories of individuals, families, or organizations making a difference, culminating in a celebration at Yankee Stadium. (Click here for more info)
  
• Volunteers Repair Homes Across Appalachia, KY, TN, VA, WV: During the week of July 20-26, more than 1,800 volunteers from around the country – mostly youth ages 14 – 18, (more…)

Click Here to Take Action Now

Background
On July 16, 2009 the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act was added as an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (S.1391). The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act has strong bipartisan support as evidenced by the passage of a similar bill (H.R.1913) in the House of Representatives on April 29, 2009.  The Senate has previously supported identical legislation on four separate occasions by wide bipartisan margins, most recently as an amendment to the 2008 Department of Defense Authorization bill by a vote of 60-39.  This Hate Crimes amendment would ensure the expansion of existing federal hate crimes law to include protections for those victimized because of real or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability.  Further, it would remove the overly cumbersome obstacles standing in the way of federal prosecution.  This would allow the federal government to assist local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes or become involved when local law enforcement is either unable or unwilling.  The Attorney General or other high-ranking Justice Department officials would be required to approve all federal prosecutions to eliminate replicating state efforts.

Click here to tell your story of service.

“United We Serve” is a nationwide service initiative that will help meet growing social needs resulting from the economic downturn. With the knowledge that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things when given the proper tools, President Obama is asking us to come together to help lay a new foundation for growth. NASW is a partner in this effort

Whether you were already serving your country, or are responding to the President’s call, you have a chance to tell your story of how you are delivering on change in your community.

Whether you are helping those struggling in the current economy, tutoring kids in your neighborhood every day, or anything else, we want to highlight what social workers are doing to strengthen our country.