Individuals and agencies regularly ask about aging and mental health: * How and where do I obtain a service? * How do services differ? * How do I know if someone needs help? * What can I do to stay healthy? * Who are providers and how do I know what they do? It became clear that information about elder mental health and appropriate services is not accessible to everyone. The Greater Lowell Elder Mental Health Collaborative decided to develop an elder mental health resource. It made sense to place this information at an accessible location. We also wanted to make changes easily in order to keep them current. Therefore we decided to develop an elder mental health resource guide on a web site. The information in this guide is available to anyone. The section on agencies and their services is about the Lowell area. The other sections are applicable no matter where you live or work. It is our hope that this guide will help you to make referrals or to obtain services more easily. It will not help you to make diagnoses or assessments for yourself or for others. We encourage your participation in this guide. If you have suggestions about information or what could be added to any section please let us know Click for the Mission Statement. For information about the organization, please send email to info@ eldermentalhealth.org
For information about this site, please send email to webmaster@ eldermentalhealth.org. A recording of an interview with Frank E. Baskin on WUML (UMass Lowell radio) about Elder Mental Health. | MASS 2010 BUDGET UPDATEFunding for the elder mental health line item has been eliminated. Please contact your Mass State Rep and Senator to advocate for this funding. November, 2009 The Governor announced that there will be cuts in benefits fot those on MassHealth. No one will be dropped from services but many will either not receive a service or will have to pay more for it. For example. the co-payment for psycho-tropic medications will rise and dental services for adults will be more restricted. Week of October 26 Governor Patrick clarified with more specifics about his 9-C cuts announced last week(see below). Cities and towns will not see any reductions in revenue from the State. 1. Senior Centers will experience a $ 500,000 reduction. 2. Protective Services will see a one million dollar cut. 3. The Department of Mental Health will see smaller reductions in revenue than expected(and most of that at managerial levels). 4. Home Care was spared any further reductions. Week of October 12 Governor Deval Patrick announced that there will be further cuts in the 2010 budget. This will include:
SUPPLEMENTAL 2010 BUDGET AND THE PNAGovernor Patrick recently vetoed the PNA which reduced it from $ 72.80 to
$ 60 per month. The legislature passed a supplemental budget for 2010 which, among other things, included the PNA at $ 69.68 per month.
The Governor can veto this budget or any part of it. That could place the PNA in danger.
ACTION STEP:
Please call the Governor at 617-727-3666 and ask him to retain the PNA as it is in the Supplemental budget.
ELDER MENTAL HEALTH LINE ITEM
All funding for this line item was removed. Whille it seem unlikely that any monies will be restored soon the Massaging and Mental Health Coalition will continue its efforts to educate others about this issue. (see Massaging and Mental Health Coalition).
| FEDERAL HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION
PURPOSE OF THIS WEB SITE November, 2009 Week of Nov 23 The Senate has submitted a bill which will be debated and likely amended during the next few weeks. It includes the following: * Government option which allows individual States to opt out. * All Americans would be required to have coverage. * Government aid for middle income families to help pay for insurance * Prohibitions on the private insurance industry to set conditions of insurance such as pre-existing conditions, annual and lifetime benefit limits, higher premiums for people who are disabled, women, etc. Week of Nov 9 The Senate may submit its bill in the next few weeks. Senate leadership will probably wait until they have 60 votes before asking for a vote. Week of Nov 2 Health Care Passed in House(11/7) The House passed its version of a universal health care insurance plan for most Americans. It includes the following: * A requirement that all Americans are insured. * A government option which will compete with private plans * Federal monies for low and middle income people so they can access insurance. * Private insurers will not be able to exclude people due to pre-existing conditions or to set life time limits on coverage. * The Medicare donut hole will be eliminated * Medicaid will cover more people. There will be 5.4 % tax on the Adjusted Gross Income of those individuals over $500,000 and for joint payers over one million. Next: * The Senate will begin debate soon(perhaps as early as the next week or two) and vote later on its version of the bill. * A conference committee will negotiate the differences and develop a single bill. * Each house will vote on the same bill. * Then the president signs or vetoes it. * All this could take until the end of this year or the beginning of the new year. Nov 5, 2009 The house may have its debate on the Health Care Bill followed by a vote possibly as early as this week. This version includes: * A government option in all states * Makes coverage more affordable for all Americans * Covers more people than the Senate bill.(see also below) ACTION STEP: Contact your congressional representative to support and vote for this bill. It is important to have a strong majority. October, 2009 Week of Oct 26 The Speaker introduced a proposal which combines the three House bills. It includes a government option and a tax on the nation's earners(those couples who earn over 1 million/year). A single bill may be debated on the House floor in November. The Senate Majority Leader introduced a proposal which combines the two Senate bills. It includes a government option. Individual States will have the choice of opting out if they do not want to have a government option in their State. The cost of this bill will be determined by the Congressional Budget Office. Week of Oct 19 Last week the Senate Finance Comm approved a health care bill. It does not include a government option(see below Oct 5). This week about 30 senators sent a letter to the Majority leader indicating their interest in a bill which includes a government option. Week of Oct. 5 The Senate Finance Comm should complete its work this week or next. It will: * not include a government option * will tax those with expensive health insurance plans. Other plans do include a government option and will tax the wealthiest Americans. When they are done the House and Senate versions are likely to differ in those and other ways. However, there may be general agreement on the following: * Most will continue to be covered by their employers. Self employed people and those working for an employee who does not offer health insurance will be able to buy insurance through exchanges(which may or may not include a government option). * There are likely to be tax credits. * Private health insurers will have to cover everyone(regardless of pre-existing conditions) and may be limited what they can charge those who are old or sick. * Medicare may have to coordinate care for seniors - especially those with chronic conditions - in order to maintain people in the community and decrease or prevent hospital and nursing home care. * Medicaid will be expanded to cover more people including childless adults. Mental Health Services for Nursing Home Residents: Clinical social workers cannot bill Medicare B directly for psychotherapy services when an individual is in a Medicare A bed. Amendment D3 by Senator Blanche Lincoln(D - ARK. in health reform legislation would rectify this problem. Please contact your federal senator to support Amendment D 3. |
Home www.eldermentalhealth.org > test_front >