As we continue to move forward in the 2013 legislative session it is important to maintain the momentum that our grassroots efforts are gaining with legislators.
The House and Senate have released budget proposals that, despite budget targets calling for reductions of around $150 million for health and human services, provide for a modest cost of living adjustment for long term care providers as well as a buy-back of the 1.67% cut.
Yesterday, a Rep. Huntley amendment in the House Ways and Means Committee increased the nursing home COLA from two percent to three percent. However, he noted that a drafting error left us out and that the increase is intended for our services as well. He told ARRM after the hearing that we are “first in line” for additional money into his target. He said he expects the tax bill to collect more revenue than needed and hopes that excess revenue will bolster his funding target. Indeed, the money he found for nursing homes yesterday is still insufficient to cover even nursing homes alone.
The bills will continue to move through the committee process before heading to the House and Senate floors next week and finally ending up in conference committee.
Because of the low target a number of legislators are unhappy with the low increase for disability and elder services and how the health and human services bills rely on surcharges to hospitals, health plans, nursing homes and ICFs/DD to make up for the $150 million cut in the target.
In the meantime House and Senate leaders – along with the governor – will agree on final targets for each spending area. ARRM and our allies will mount a grassroots effort to increase the health and human services target. We’ll develop strategic messages and calls for action in the next few days. So please stay tuned!
There will be several opportunities next week to get involved at the Capitol during what folks in the disability community are dubbing “Disability Week at the Capitol.”
Monday April 22-26: MN CCD Presents: Faces of Disability 2013- visit an exhibit of photos, art and stories of Minnesotans with disabilities in the North Corridor of the State Capitol. For more information click here:
Faces of Disability 2013 Poster
Tuesday, April 23rd, 10:00 am: MN CCD Tuesday at the Capitol, State Office Building Basement Cafeteria.
Tuesday, April 23rd, 11:00 am: Press conference hosted by the Arc MN and MN Brain Injury Alliance
Thursday, April 25th: Disability Matters Day at the Capitol, rally at 12:00 pm: Sponsors include: Advocating Change Together, Direct Support Professional Association of MN, Metropolitan Center for Independent Living, MN Brain Injury Alliance, MN State Council on Disability, People First of MN, Self-Advocates MN, The Arc MN. For more information click here:
Disability Matters Day at the Capitol 2013_updated
Please contact Sara Grafstrom at sgrafstrom@arrm.org with any questions.
--Sara Grafstrom, Director of Advocacy and Community Relations