FEINGOLD/CASA COMPARISON

Prepared by:
Topeka Independent Living Resource Center

Includes:


        "Long Term Care Reform &           "Medicaid Community
        Deficit Reduction Act"             Attendant Services Act of
        (Feingold bill S. 879)             1997" (H.R. 2020/CASA)

        * First and foremost, the          * Amends Title XIX of the
        plan is optional for               Social Security Act
        States, which retains the          (Medicaid) and creates a new
        status quo. (It is                 and mandatory Medicaid
        currently an option within         service - "Qualified
        the medicaid laws for states       Community-Based Attendant
        to provide community-based         Services " (QHCBS)
        services). If a state
        chooses to have a Plan under       * Each state shall develop a
        this optional.                     long term care services
                                           transition plan with major
        * Title I 101(b) of the            participation by the State
        Feingold bill states               Independent Living Council,
        "Nothing in this title shall       the State Developmental
        be construed to create a           Disabilities Council and
        right to services for              Councils on Aging.
        individuals or a requirement
        that a State with an               * This plan must have
        approved plan expend the           specific action steps and
        entire amount of funds to          timetables to increase the
        which it is entitled under         proportion of HCBS provided
        this title"                        in the state.

        * If a State chooses to
        develop a plan under the
        Feingold bill, it must do so
        according to the following
        criteria.

SERVICES SERVICES * States determine which * Establishes QHCBS as HCBS services they will mandatory under Title XIX of offer. There is no the Social Security Act, requirement as to what just as nursing home and services they have to have, other services are currently is up to each individual mandatory. state. * The services contained in * The services the bill CASA are attendant services talks about are: furnished to an individual 1. Personal care services a. on an as-needed basis 2. HCBS b. in a home or community (a) homemaker and chore based setting services, c. under an agency-provider (b) home modifications, or other model (c) respite, d. selected, managed & (d) assistive tech., controlled by the individual (e) adult day services, e. includes health related (f) habilitation and tasks which can be rehabilitation, delegated, assigned to and (g) supported performed by an unlicensed employment, attendant (h) home health, f. any other option under (I) transportation, medicaid (includes those (j) any other care or listed opposite as HCBS) assistive services specified by the State and approved by * Services included- the Secretary a. back-up and emergency 3. Home and community care attendant services furnished to functionally b. voluntary training on how disabled elderly individuals to select, manage, and 4. Community supported dismiss attendants; and living c. health-related tasks that 5. Services furnished in a are assigned to, delegated hospital, nursing facility, to, or performed by, ICF-MR, or other unlicensed personal institutional setting. attendants. * Services may be delivered * Services can be provided in a person's home, a range in a home or community-based of "community residential setting to include a school, arrangements", or outside workplace, recreation or the home. (Community religious facility. residential arrangements is Specifically excludes a not defined.) nursing facility, an ICF-MR, or other institutional * Determination of facility. disability and plans or care reviewed every 6 months. * Plans of care reviewed as is already provided for under current law.
PLANS OF CARE PLANS OF CARE * Developed by assessor, * Based on an assessment of individual (or his/her functional need and agreed representative) and approved to by the person receiving by the individual the services. (or her/his representative). * "Care management" services are to be provided by a public or private entity that does not provide HCBS. (some exceptions to this rule).
ELIGIBILITY ELIGIBILITY * In general, anyone with a * If an individual meets the disability can be screened requirements to be eligible without limitations on for Nursing Facility eligibility based on income Services or Intermediate or age. Through 2007 a state Care Facility Services for can limit eligibility based the Mentally Retarded, that on severity of disability person has the choice to use and the plan may limit QHCBS. The money would eligibility based on the follow the individual and be definition of "institutional used for the services the setting" as defined by the individual chooses. State. * Continuation of services * QHCBS based on an are provided for someone who assessment of functional is already receiving medical need. assistance under Medicaid. * The individual is screened * Under current law, by a public agency to assessors can also provide determine if the individual services. is a person with a disability. (Assessors * States already have the cannot be providers.) To option to provide services qualify the individual would to those indicated opposite. have to meet the following The criteria, opposite, are criteria: similar to those for ICF/NF 1. Requires hands-on or eligibility. standby assistance, supervision, or cueing with 3 activities of daily living (ADL) for more than 180 days. 2. Have a severe cognitive or mental impairment who requires supervision for health and safety reasons, or due to symptoms of 1 or more serious behavioral problems. 3. Severe or profound MR. 4. Someone who needs assistance to manage their medical or nursing care. 5. Children under 6 with same disabilities. * No more than 5% of the * CASA doesn't include such State's allotment for a percentage exclusionary services can go to people criteria. Anyone eligible with severe disabilities, for ICF or NF services that are comparable, in would be eligible for CASA. severity to those described above, but don't meet the criteria. * The Plan would have to * funding currently specify how services are/ available for institutional will be allocated among care would be available for eligible individuals across QHCBS all eligible groups (1 thru 5 above.) The Plan "shall attempt to meet the needs of individuals..within the limits of available funding." * The Plan shall provide * Requires services to be for consumer choice provided in the most integrated regarding services and setting. and providers "to the extent feasible."
SERVICE PROVIDERS SERVICE PROVIDERS * State enters into a * The consumer may be contract with an agency to employer of the attendant act as the employer of the and can choose an agency to home-care provider, although be the payroll agent. The the service recipient shall consumer has control within retain the right to select, a continuum of options to hire, terminate, and direct self-direct. the work of a provider. * Shall include both agency- * allows health-related administrated and consumer- tasks to be assigned to, directed personal assistance delegated to, or performed services, but can't limit by unlicensed personal benefits to services attendants. provided by professional providers. The State specifies any requirements for participation for each type of provider. However, States cannot subject providers to any kind of license that the Secretary does not find necessary to health and safety. * After 2005, no more than 10% can go towards administrative costs. * Must provide for a single * would use the same access point of access to apply for points as are available program. This currently. notwithstanding, the plan may designate separate points of access for appropriate classes of individuals. * Before the Plan can be * no provision under CASA. implemented, the State must enter into negotiations with the labor unions representing the employees of affected facilities and discuss the impact of the plan on the workforce and methods to redeploy workers to positions in the proposed system. * PA services are mandatory * Attendant services are in the State Plan and are mandatory in CASA. Any the only services that are service under CASA/ self-directed. The agency Medicaid could be self in charge of the directed. individual's "Care Management" directs all other services. * Payment - the State can * vouchers. direct cash provide for vouchers, cash payments, fiscal agents and to individuals, agency providers are capitalization payments to delivery options in CASA health plans, and payment to providers in their Plan.
COST SHARING COST SHARING * The Plan can provide for * States may impose a spend cost sharing and/or an down and/or an annual annual deductible. deductible. * covers individuals with incomes above the current Medicaid income limitation if a state chooses to waive this limitation because of increased potential for employment.
QUALITY ASSURANCE QUALITY ASSURANCE * State will establish a * A program must be plan to monitor quality established and maintained which will include consumer that is developed after input and surveys; optional public hearings and is training on how to hire, based on consumer fire and manage PA's; satisfaction. States must minimum competency survey and certify requirements for agency (unannounced) agency provider employees who providers. Minimum provide direct services; qualification standards for minimum standards for agency providers, financial providers, appeals for operating standards and a eligibility denials and consumer grievance process grievance procedure, along would be included. with others.
SAFEGUARDS SAFEGUARDS * The State Plan will * Each state's advocacy & establish a Client Advocacy protection offices, along Office. with CIL's and other state and federal organizations currently in place would monitor. States would allow for monitoring boards consisting of parents, providers, consumers and neighbors. The same safeguards as required in community service living arrangements (CSLA) would apply. * Rights of Consumers: Right * These same rights are to be fully informed in already contained in current advance, orally and in law writing, of any changes in care to be provided and to participate in planning care or changes in care. If the individual is incompetent, the guardian would be informed. Also have the right to voice grievances as to services or lack thereof without reprisals; be told how to complain to authorities; and for prompt resolution of grievances.
ADVISORY GROUPS ADVISORY GROUPS * A Federal Advisory Group * Would use groups currently would be established in place specifically composed of people with including SILCs, DD councils disabilities and their and councils on aging. representatives. * State's will establish their own advisory groups made up of political appointees, individuals with disabilities and their representatives. This group would establish the State plan.
HOSPITAL LINKAGE PROGRAMS TRANSITION TO HOME SETTING * Grants to entities who * To make the transition would undertake discharge from a nursing facility or planning for the purpose of intermediate care facility ensuring that home and for the mentally retarded to community based options a home setting, expenditures would be made available to may be made for transition people coming out of acute costs, such as rent and care/rehabilitation settings utility deposits, first instead of only planning to month's rent and utilities, discharge into a nursing bedding, basic kitchen home. supplies, and other necessities required.
FUNDING FUNDING * would establish changes in * Funding currently funding for Nursing available for institutional Facilities who would be care would be available for caring for people with people choosing QHCBS. In disabilities with heavy addition $2 billion dollars needs. would be appropriated over 6 years to help states * new federal funding would transition from be phased in over 9 years institutional to community- starting in 1999 and the based services (and see total would be $5 billion in above). the year 2007. * State P & A's would * funding for state P & A's receive 1/2 of 1% for would remain as it is advocacy services (in the currently under the law. states that had the plan).