I4A Alert for October 2016
Illinois Aging Network Alert
A periodic report on the impact of the State budget crisis on Illinois seniors and community programs from
I4A ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF AREA AGENCIES ON AGING
Contact: Joy Paeth (618) 222-2561 or Jon Lavin (708) 383-0258
The Illinois Aging Network is comprised of many different organizations with the shared goal for directly helping older persons in their own homes and communities. The Illinois Department on Aging is the leader for the aging network through its support of services, programs and public policy for Illinois.
Obviously, the aging network has been on the ropes this past year. Home care, emergency response system companies, and adult day agencies serving the over 40,000 people in the Community Care Program who do not qualify for Medicaid at last received payment through the Stop Gap Legislation for the period July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. But these agencies are currently not being paid for this client population going back to approximately July 1, 2016. That is because the Stop Gap offered approximately $300 million to cover services over an 18 month period that actually costs $500 million. The Department on Aging has enforced contractual requirements that home care agencies must serve both the Medicaid eligible and those people who are currently not on Medicaid, even though payment is being processed only for those on Medicaid (through court action).
We understand that CJE SeniorLife informed the State earlier this summer that they are no longer offering home care services - not only because the payments for non-Medicaid clients stopped again at the beginning of the state fiscal year, but also because their costs to provide services in Cook County has consistently exceeded the state rates, and no relief for those extra costs was in sight, possibly for years!
On another note, planning for the separation of the Medicaid and non-Medicaid clients is proceeding at the Department on Aging through the proposed Community Reinvestment Program. Information on the Department’s plan is expected later this week.
We ask that the Illinois General Assembly pass, and the Governor sign a budget with adequate resources, in order to assure that the loyal organizations that are willing to deliver services are paid for their past service, and are then offered strong rates to assure continued services into the future. The Aging Network believes in Illinois and deserves payment for their outstanding efforts to help older and disabled persons.
Distributed for I4A by:
Jonathan Lavin
President and CEO
AgeOptions
1048 Lake Street
Oak Park, Illinois 60301
708-383-0258