Medicaid Matters New York - MMNY Toolkit 2007

MMNY Toolkit

TO: MMNY Members
FROM: Swati Garg
DATE: March 8, 2007
SUBJECT: Medicaid Matters Week 2007

MMNY Members,

Through the hard work of members across the state, we are pleased to present to you this packet with Medicaid Matters Week 2007 materials. Medicaid Matters Week is an advocacy opportunity to repeat our message of consumer support of the budget across the state in a coordinated manner.

The strength of the MMNY coalition is in the diversity of our organizations, and the dedication and hard work of our members. Over the next week, we encourage all MMNY members to use the enclosed materials to gain press attention for the MMNY coalition and consumer support of the Executive Budget.

We understand that MMNY organizations across the state serve various segments of the Medicaid population, and have varying priorities and public messages. We do not expect every organization to advance the same agenda during Medicaid Matters Week 2007. However, there are some general messages and activities that we would like all member organizations to incorporate when speaking on behalf of the coalition. These are included in the “Talking Points/Action Steps” handout.

Throughout the week, we encourage member organizations to speak on behalf of their own organization, as well as a member of the MMNY coalition. The materials in this packet are intended as a starting point. Feel free to use materials as they are, or to append/adapt materials to suit your organizational goals. Also, when using the materials, please be sure to add your own group or coalitions contact info in addition to MMNY contact information.

We look forward to your participation in Medicaid Matters Week 2007 and your continued commitment to Medicaid Matters New York.

Special thanks to Catherine Abate (Community Healthcare Network), Hillary Clarke (American Cancer Society), Adam Cybulski (Southern Tier Independence Center), Maria Dibble (Southern Tier Independence Center), Donna Gillette (Resource Center for Independent Living), Mark Hannay (Metro New York Health Care for All Campaign), Charles Long (Housing Works), Gwen O’Shea (Health and Welfare Council of Long Island), Jenny Rejeske (The New York Immigration Coalition) and Mel Tanzman (Westchester Disabled on the Move) for volunteering to help plan and coordinate Medicaid Matters Week.

Enclosed: Calendar of Events; Talking Points, Action Steps, Boilerplate Press Statement for local use; Boilerplate Press Statement for statewide use; Budget Support Petition.

Calendar of Events

March 12: Press statement released throughout the state to local media outlets—“kick off.”

American Cancer Society news conference with Governor on the budget. Location: ACS offices in Loudonville. Messages: Getting uninsured into existing public programs.

CHCANYS Lobby Day in Albany. Messages: Support for expansion in coverage/streamlined recertification; DTC indigent care pool redistribution; restoration of transition care cuts.

March 13

MMNY Press Conference with Governor’s Office, Albany.

Hunger Action Network Lobby Day, Albany. Messages: Simplification of Medicaid application (as well as universal health care).

March 14

9:30-12:30 AM MHANYS legislative breakfast, LOB Albany. Legislators and Mental Health Commissioner Michael Hogan will be speaking.

March 15

2-4 PM RCIL Community Education Forum with Frank Mauro and Ron Deutch. Location: RCIL Offices, Utica. Topic: Governor’s budget and impact on their community.

March 16

ACS local Western NY coalition meeting with Senator Cathy Young. Messages: Consumer support of budget; concerns regarding safety net providers and cuts

Other events, dates TBD

STIC, Binghamton: Adam Cybulski is scheduling meetings with local offices of Donna Lupardo, Senator Libous and Assemblyman Crouch.

Westchester: Mel Tanzman at WDOM will write a community views editorial for publication in local media/Journal News.

Long Island: Gwen O’Shea at HWCLI is nailing down a date with Congresswoman McCarthy to talk about budget effects at the local level.

Empire Justice: Trilby de Jung at Empire Justice is meeting with local legislators in Rochester, with other groups.

Talking Points: Medicaid Matters and Medicaid Works

Medicaid Matters New York, a coalition of over 125 groups representing Medicaid consumers, supports Governor Spitzer’s 2007 Medicaid budget proposals.

Medicaid is a success story.

As the largest payer of births in New York, an integral part of the health care of children and adolescents, and the primary source for nursing home coverage for New York’s elderly, Medicaid is vital to the health care of all New Yorkers of all ages. Medicaid is also important to New York’s economy, supporting thousands of jobs in the health care sector.

For too long, Medicaid reform discussions have put a bulls-eye on the backs of the very people the program aims to serve – mothers and children, adolescents, the working poor, persons with disabilities, seniors, HIV positive individuals, and homeless persons.

The proposed executive budget outlines a different approach -- putting patients first -- and is long overdue.

The Spitzer budget protects Medicaid beneficiaries.

The “patient first” budget does not contain cuts to Medicaid beneficiaries—a refreshing change from recent years.
There are no cuts in benefits (Level 1 personal care cuts were restored); no reduction in eligibility; and no new co-pays.

MMNY supports expanding coverage and ensured eligibility

MMNY supports the Governor’s plans to reduce the burden of uninsurance, and is glad to see the expansion of CHP eligibility to 400% FPL
MMNY supports the Governor’s plan to simplify and streamline Medicaid recertification for the consumer, by allowing the State to confirm continued Medicaid eligibility.
MMNY also urges the Governor to simplify the application process for new Medicaid enrollees, and allow self-attestation of income and assets at application.

Support for increased community-based care, concerns about managed care

MMNY endorses the increased focus on home and community based care, and the commitment to channel resources to build such capacity within the health delivery system.
MMNY is concerned about the increased focus on managed care for Medicaid beneficiaries, particularly the SPMI population and those with complex health care needs.

Additional priorities—organization specific

Action Steps

1. As an MMNY coalition member, contact your local legislator’s office to express support of the Executive Medicaid Budget. Call or write a letter to your local legislator, or make an appointment with your local district office to meet with your elected official and/or their staff to communicate MMNY’s support of the budget. Charles Long is available to help make appointments, long2@housingworks.org.

2. Submit a press release to your local media on Monday March 12, as a “kick off” for Medicaid Matters week. A boilerplate statement is available with room to add quotes and additional information relevant to individual organizations. The more press releases we can release on March 12, the stronger our message.

3. On behalf of your own organization, submit a letter on your organization’s letterhead to your local elected official. The letter or email should express your organizations thoughts on the budget. Include MMNY messages, as well as messages more relevant to your specific organization.

4. MMNY encourages organizations to hold activities throughout the week to bring press attention to MMNY’s position on the budget. Some ideas: letters to the editor, op-ed pieces, editorial board meetings with local newspapers, community education events, advocates meetings, press conferences, inviting elected/their staff to your organization.

There is a small amount of money to help organizations fund activities throughout the week (ex. $$ to rent meeting space, provide refreshments, etc). If interested in applying, please contact Swati Garg, sgarg@cssny.org.

Other Questions? Contact Swati Garg at 212.614.5582 or sgarg@cssny.org.

[to be used by local groups]
[MMNY or local group letterhead]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
March 12, 2007 [local spokesperson name & #]
Denise Soffel, 212-614-5308

MEDICAID ADVOCATES LAUNCH STATEWIDE EFFORT TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR GOVERNOR SPITZER’S 2007 HEALTH CARE BUDGET PROPOSALS

[Local/regional group/coalition name] to lead effort in [region name]

(local city name, NY) -- Medicaid Matters New York (MMNY), a statewide coalition of over 125 groups representing and serving people who rely on public insurance programs, today begins a week-long initiative to develop support in the State Legislature for Governor Spitzer’s 2007 health care budget proposals.

Events here in [region/locality name] are being spearheaded by [local/regional group/coalition name], one of MMNY’s seven regional coalitions across the state (in Buffalo, Rochester, Binghamton, Utica, Westchester County, Long Island, and New York City.) A variety of activities are being undertaken statewide.

“For too long, health care budget discussions in New York have put a bulls-eye on the backs of the very people its public insurance programs aims to serve –mothers and children, adolescents, the working poor, persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses, seniors in nursing homes, and homeless persons,” said [local spokesperson name and title.] “We’re very pleased that Governor Spitzer’s health care budget outlines a new and different approach, ‘putting patients first’, and it is long overdue. We are looking forward to discussing our support with Senator(s) [name(s)] and Assemblymember(s) [name(s)].”

Gov. Spitzer’s health care budget protects people enrolled in the state’s public insurance programs because it does not contain any cutbacks, a refreshing change from recent years. It includes no cuts in benefits, does not reduce eligibility levels – in fact, it proposes an expansion of eligibility for children – and it does not propose any new out-of-pocket costs.

“Medicaid Matters New York is encouraged by the Governor’s commitment to bring transparency and accountability to the state’s vital public insurance programs that provide coverage to over four million New Yorkers,” said Denise Soffel, Senior Health Policy Analyst at the Community Service Society of New York, and Coordinator of the statewide coalition. “We also support the Governor’s proposals to redistribute limited health care funding to those facilities that provide significantly more care for people on public insurance programs and the uninsured, and his goal of shifting resources into community-based primary care, where we can get the biggest bang for limited bucks.”

MMNY also supports the Governor’s in his efforts to:

Reduce the burden of the uninsured on localities and counties.
Expand eligibility for the Child Health Plus to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level, as a first step to provide expanding coverage to 3 million uninsured New Yorkers
Streamline the process for eligible people to stay on public insurance programs, saving administrative costs, reducing documentation burdens, preventing churning, and decreasing disruptions in services.
Prioritize home and community-based long-term care programs and services.
Accrue additional savings from bulk purchase bargaining for pharmaceuticals, while maintaining important consumer protections for patients

MMNY expressed concerns about the state’s continued reliance of managed care as a universal approach to care delivery for all Medicaid beneficiaries. While managed care has provided many on Medicaid with a health care home and better coordination of care, it should not be seen as a blanket solution to rising health care costs. The coalition is particularly alarmed about the move to mandate managed care for people with complex health care needs, and those with serious and persistent mental illness, as this requirement may pose new, insurmountable navigational challenges. MMNY members said they will also be monitoring the impacts of hospital funding changes on safety net institutions crucial to underserved communities and the uninsured.

Medicaid Matters New York can be reached c/o Community Service Society of New York, 105 East 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010; 212-614-5308 or –5882.

[to be used in Albany or statewide]
[MMNY or local group letterhead]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
March 12, 2007 Denise Soffel, 212-614-5308
Trilby DeJung, 585-295-5722

MEDICAID ADVOCATES LAUNCH STATEWIDE EFFORT TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR GOVERNOR SPITZER’S 2007 HEALTH CARE BUDGET PROPOSALS

Regional coalitions to lead efforts across New York

(Albany, NY) – Medicaid Matters New York (MMNY), a statewide coalition of over 125 groups representing and serving people who rely on public insurance programs, today begins a week-long initiative to develop support in the State Legislature for Governor Spitzer’s 2007 health care budget proposals.

Starting today, members of coalition will use their Fifth Annual Medicaid Matters Week to reach out to local State Senators, Assemblymembers, and the public to educate them about how Gov. Spitzer’s budget benefits people who rely on New York State’s public insurance programs (Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and Family Health Plus.) A variety of events are being spearheaded by local coalitions in seven regions across the state, including Buffalo, Rochester, Binghamton, Utica, Westchester County, Long Island, and New York City.

“For too long, health care budget discussions in New York have put a bulls-eye on the backs of the very people its public insurance programs aims to serve –mothers and children, adolescents, the working poor, persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses, seniors in nursing homes, and homeless persons,” said Denise Soffel, Senior Health Policy Analyst at the Community Service Society of New York, and Coordinator of the statewide coalition. “We’re very pleased that Governor Spitzer’s health care budget outlines a new and different approach, ‘putting patients first’, and it is long overdue. We are looking forward to discussing our support with State Senators and Assemblymembers.

“Medicaid Matters New York is encouraged by the Governor’s commitment to bring transparency and accountability to the state’s vital public insurance programs that provide coverage to over four million New Yorkers,” said Trilby DeJung, Health Law Attorney with the Empire Justice Center in Rochester, and member of MMNY’s Steering Committee. “We also support the Governor’s proposals to redistribute limited health care funding to those facilities that provide significantly more care for people on public insurance programs and the uninsured, and his goal of shifting resources into community-based primary care, where we can get the biggest bang for limited bucks.”

MMNY also supports the Governor’s in his efforts to:

Reduce the burden of the uninsured on localities and counties.
Expand eligibility for the Child Health Plus to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level, as a first step to provide expanding coverage to 3 million uninsured New Yorkers
Streamline the process for eligible people to stay on public insurance programs, saving administrative costs, reducing documentation burdens, preventing churning, and decreasing disruptions in services.
Prioritize home and community-based long-term care programs and services.
Accrue additional savings from bulk purchase bargaining for pharmaceuticals, while maintaining important consumer protections for patients

Medicaid Matters New York can be reached c/o Community Service Society of New York, 105 East 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010; 212-614-5308 or –5882.

SUPPORT THE PROPOSED STATE BUDGET
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