THE WORK BILL (SHB 2364) PASSED THE HOUSE YESTERDAY!!!

NOW IT GOES TO A HEARING BEFORE THE SENATE HEALTH AND LONG-TERM CARE COMMITTEE.

ON: Wednesday, February 16, 2000. 1:30 pm Senate Hearing Room 4, JA Cherberg Building

THE MORE PEOPLE WHO CAN BE THERE TO TESTIFY THE BETTER. If you plan to attend, the day before, check to make sure that the hearing is still scheduled by calling the legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000.

MESSAGES TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE COMMITTEE ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

• Senator Pat Thibeaudeau (D-43)
• Senator Lorraine Wojahn (D-27)
• Senator Jeri Costa (D-38)
• Senator Rosa Franklin (D-29) no e-mail ph: 360-786-7656
• Senator Alex Deccio (R-14) no e-mail ph: 360-786-7627
• Senator Stephen Johnson (R-47)
• Senator Shirley Winsley (R-28) winsley_sh@leg.wa.gov

AT LONG LAST: 
U.S. HOUSE OKAYS WORK INCENTIVE IMPROVEMENT ACT 418-2

The U.S. House of Representatives last week finally approved the Work Incentives Improvement Act (WIIA) of 1999, on a vote of 418 to 2.

President Clinton challenged Congress to pass the bill in his State of the Union address, and fully funded it in his 2000 budget. The President is expected to sign the bill into law shortly after his return from Thanksgiving break.

The WIIA will give people who want to work a chance to do so by removing the out-dated rules that end Medicaid and Medicare coverqge when people with disabilities return to work.

The Act also modernizes the employment services system for people with disabilities and affirms the basic principle manifested in the Americans With Disabilities Act: that all"Americans should have the same opportunities to be productive citizens. The WIIA will improve health care options for people with disabilities by:

Removing limits on the Medicaid buy-in option for workers with disabilities.

Creating a new Medicaid buy-in demonstration to help people who are not yet too disabled to work.

Extending Medicare coverage for people with disabilities who return to work.

Removing limits. The WIIA creates two new options for states that build on the Medicaid buy-in created in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. 

First, it lets states remove the income limit of 250% of poverty (about $21,000), allowing them to set higher income, unearned income, and resource limits. This important change allows people to buy into Medicaid when their jobs pay more than low wages but may not have access to private health insurance.

Second, it creates the option to allow people with disabilities to retain Medicaid coverage even though their medical condition has improved as a result of medical coverage.

The Act also provides $150 million over five years in health care infrastructure grants to states to support people with disabilities who return to work.

New buy-in demonstration. The WIIA provides $250 million to states for a demonstration to assess the effectiveness of providing Medicaid coverage to people whose condition has not yet deteriorated enough to prevent work but who need health care to prevent that level of deterioration. For example, a person with muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's disease or diabete may be able to function and continue to work with appropriate, health care. but such health care may be only available once their conditions have become severe enough to qualify them for Social Seddrity Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and thus Medicaid or Medicare.

Extending coverage. The WIIA extends Medicare Part A premium coverage for people on SSDI who return to work for another four and a half years. This means the difference between a monthly premium of nearly $350 (the cost of purchasing Part A and 8 coverage) and $45.50. Although Medicare does not currently provide prescription drugs which are essential to people with disabilities, this assistance will be available nationwide, even in states that do not take the Medicaid options.

The WIIA also will enhance the employment services system by creating "Ticket to Work Program." This new system will enable SSI or SSDI beneficiaries to obtain vocational rehabilitation and employment services from their choice ot participating public or private providers. It the beneficiary goes to work and achieves substantial earnings, providers would be paid a portion of the benefits saved.