Later today (Monday), ARRM will file an amicus (friend of the court) brief in Ramsey County District Court making a strong case that, in the event of a government shutdown, the services ARRM members provide are essential and therefore your payments must continue. Our petition demonstrates that payments are required to continue supporting people with disabilities and that, without payments, people would be harmed.
ARRM worked throughout the weekend with attorneys from Halleland Habicht to build our case and get the filings in by today. The two DT&H associations, MnDACA and MHC, are joining ARRM in the petition. The district court will hear the matter on Thursday.
Prior to ARRM’s filing the Attorney General Lori Swanson filed a petition that would deem your services as essential. The Gov. Mark Dayton’s petition also deems your services essential, but would not continue provider payments after July 1st.
At least two three other petitions are expected today (see update below for the third petition):
- One to the Minnesota Supreme Court from four Republican state senators who will maintain that the state constitution requires that funding be appropriated through the legislative process to sustain services. In other words, all state government functions would come to a grinding halt.
- An amicus in district court from The Long Term Care Imperative (a collaboration between Care Providers of Minnesota and Aging Services of Minnesota) supports of the attorney general’s petition.
Meanwhile, the stalemate between Gov. Dayton and legislative leaders continues and some legislators are pushing for a special session to pass a “lights on” bill that would maintain current services and current funding levels.
ARRM is also meeting with key health and human services legislators this week on both budget and policy issues for a special session – whenever it does occur.
Clarification on ordering supplies
On Friday, ARRM sent an email blast to member decision makers and upper-level management, providing contingency planning suggestions in the event of a state government shutdown. One thing we suggested was that ARRM members may want to order supplies. It was not our intention to suggest that you should attempt to get supplies outside of what is allowed; it was a reminder that ordering supplies -- as allowed -- prior to the end of June may be helpful.
Providers of supplies do have the right to give notice to recipients and customers (i.e., ARRM members) if they intend to stop providing supplies. Some suppliers have already sent notices to recipients that if there is a government shutdown, they will not be providing supplies after July 1. Thus, you may want to check with your vendors to see how this is being handled.
UPDATE:
A petition from at least some of the medical supply companies that provide necessary products to ARRM members is expected today, as well.
--Bruce Nelson, CEO, and Barb Turner, COO