Capital Insider recently highlighted several main events that took place the week of 9/20-9/26.
A new program, Medicaid/CHIP Payment and Access Commissions (MACPAC) was created as part of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-3) and was expanded through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148). MACPAC’s first meeting was held last week. The commission’s responsibilities, as outlined in the Affordable Care Act, are to discuss a variety of issues affecting eligibility, enrollment and retention policies, coverage policies and quality of care, and access to covered services, such as payment policies. Research and recommendations made by MACPAC will concern access to Medicaid/CHIP. All findings will be discussed among the commission and submitted to Congress. The first report will be released on March 15, 2011.
A turning point in terminology was reached on September 30, 2010 when the U.S House of Representatives passed Rosa’s Law (S.2781). “Intellectual disability” will now be use instead of “mental retardation” in federal laws. Self-advocates and their families have tried to eliminate the term "mental retardation" for years. Eligibility and services guaranteed by the revised laws will not be affected. The bill, identical to the one passed on the Senate, will soon be signed by President Obama. Disability Rights North Carolina would like to thank Senator Burr and Senator Hagan for their co-sponsorship of the Senate bill.
Another bill passed by the House of Representative last week was The Training and Research for Autism Improvements Nationwide Act (H.R 5756). This bill will amend Title I of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance Act and Bill of Rights Act (The DD Act) and expand assistance to children and adults with autism. It will also guarantee $17 million annually for four years to University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) to provide training and services. Four new UCEDDs that work with minority institutions will be given grants to provide services and conduct research centered on facial and ethnic minorities. The bill is now being considered by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
You can learn more about Capital Insider by visiitng the following link, http://www.ucp.org/ucp_generalsub.cfm/1/8/11981.
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