Listen to DVI of Lebanon County, Inc. Deputy Director, Mike Ritter discuss the assistance that is available in Lebanon County for all persons of domestic violence. Domestic Violence occurs in every sector of life without regard to age, race, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, income level or profession. DVI is available 24 hrs/day, 7 days/week, 365 days a year to support the victim of domestic violence offering confidential assistance, safety, education, empowerment and advocacy. ALL services are free of charge and do not require health insurance.

https://www.asaging.org/

Bellomo & Associates LLC is located in York, PA and able to service clients throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Attorney Jeff Bellomo shares in this interview how Bellomo & Associates can help you in their specialties of estate planning, asset protection, wills and trust planning, powers of attorney, elder law, Medicaid application, qualification and crisis planning as well as special needs, disability planning and veterans’ benefits. Bellomo has recently added a Client Care Advocate Social Worker to assist with the integration of health-related issues into the estate and transition process. Bellomo has several free videos on its website, “bellomoassociates.com,” to assist in an awareness of these vital legal services.

Please be advised that the Friday, September 3 meeting of the Lebanon County ADRC partners meeting has been cancelled due to a conflict in scheduling. We will reschedule Jessica Kemp in the near future. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Below you will find a link for public hearing taking place today and instructions on how to access it.  The hearing is regarding Maximus and the issues with them.  I apologize for the late notice as this is happening today at 12:30.  There are several AAA’s testifying.   

This link takes you to the PA Senate Health and Human Services Committee page, below upcoming meetings is the Monday meeting.  To the right of the meeting notice is a (LIVE STREAMED).  Click on that to watch the hearing

Lebanon County Christian Ministries assists people in need of emergency services such as food, clothing and shelter. Download their brochure below.

https://www.phlp.org/en/news/medical-assistance-amendment-gives-people-with-mobility-impairments-greater-access-to-their-communities

Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS) has amended the state’s Medical Assistance plan to cover removable medical equipment for children and adults with mobility impairments. Removable medical equipment is necessary to the health and wellbeing of individuals with disabilities as it can support activities of daily living and help an individual enter or exit their home, facilitating greater engagement with their community. 

The new coverage is part of a settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed by Disability Rights Pennsylvania on behalf of a class of children in the state’s Medical Assistance program. The plaintiff class alleged that DHS violated the Social Security Act by denying requests for removable medical equipment. Further, the suit alleged that DHS failed to inform the plaintiff class of the availability of such equipment under Medicaid and even led youth, hospitals, equipment vendors, families, advocates, and others to believe that such devices were not covered. As detailed in the resulting settlement, the state’s Medical Assistance plan has updated the definition of covered home health services to explicitly include wheelchair lifts, ceiling lifts, stair glides, metal accessibility ramps, and other such equipment that can be reused and removed without damage to the item. 

The amendments, which are applicable to all Medical Assistance recipients regardless of age, have been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for coverage retroactive to April 1, 2020. Considering this, PHLP encourages individuals who have previously applied for and been denied removable medical equipment to reapply for approval with an updated letter of medical necessity from their physician. For those who denied after April 1, 2020 but have since paid out-of-pocket for removable medical equipment, this amendment may open the door for individuals to submit a claim for reimbursement from the state. 

While this update increases access to necessary devices for individuals with mobility impairments, there are still gaps in coverage. Although the update includes coverage for certain elements of the installation process of these devices, the Pennsylvania Medical Assistance program does not cover home modifications outside of waiver services. This means that when a structural change to the home, like electrical updates or demolition of existing structures, is required for proper installation of removable medical equipment the beneficiary will have to pay for that service as separate from the installation. 

For more information on the new Medical Assistance coverage and questions about how to apply for removable medical equipment, please call PHLP’s Helpline at 1-800-274-3258 or email us at staff@phlp.org.  

For more information about the lawsuit and settlement agreement, contact Disability Rights Pennsylvania by calling 1-800-692-7443, Option 6, or sending an email to equipment@disabilityrightspa.org. 

July 30, 2021

Summary: Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded the “public charge” rule implemented in 2019. This means that receiving or applying for most Medicaid benefits, public housing, or nutrition assistance are no longer grounds for denying an individual seeking a visa to come to the United States or to become a lawful permanent resident. Services provided through ACL’s programs, and medical treatment or preventive services for COVID-19, including vaccinations, also will not count against people seeking legal entry to the country.

Background

The “public charge” doctrine allows U.S. immigration officials to bar a person from getting a visa or becoming a lawful permanent resident if they are determined to be likely to become a “public charge,” meaning a person who is likely to primarily rely on the government for assistance. This long-standing policy was put into immigration law in the 1990s. In 1999, Interim Field Guidance clarified that this policy applies only to immigrants likely to become dependent on direct cash assistance, like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or to individuals who rely on Medicaid-financed “long-term institutionalization,” such as a nursing or psychiatric facility.

The Trump administration issued a new public charge rule in 2019 to significantly expand the policy to include anyone who lawfully used virtually any public benefit for more than 12 cumulative months over any 36-month period. For example, enrollment in Medicaid for acute medical care or for home and community-based services (not just institutional care), or receiving housing or nutrition assistance, could all be used to designate a person as a “public charge” and deny them a visa or permanent legal residency.

What Changed

One of the first executive orders issued by President Biden directly addressed immigrant access to public benefits and the public charge rule. Implementation of the order caused a series of actions by DHS and the Department of Justice that ultimately resulted in the 2019 rule being removed from the Code of Federal Regulations, and DHS announced in March that it would revert to 1999 Interim Field Guidance.

In an April letter to interagency partners, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services also stated that “medical treatment or preventive services for COVID-19, including vaccinations, will not be considered for public charge purposes. This policy will help ensure that noncitizens are able to access important government services for which they may be eligible.”

Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued an informational bulletin reminding state Medicaid agencies that they may not share information with immigration officials about an person’s Medicaid coverage (or application) for the purposes of a public charge determination.

Looking Ahead

The 2019 Public Charge Rule had a chilling effect on immigrants accessing benefits to which they are legally entitled – research has shown that immigrant families have avoided both programs specified in the 2019 rule and those outside the rule for fear of immigration-related consequences. It created particularly devastating consequences for older adults and people with disabilities, who often rely on Medicaid to stay healthy and to live in their communities. That’s why sharing information about the changes is so critical.

As trusted messengers in your communities, the aging and disability networks have a particularly important role to play in dispelling fear and confusion. Please help spread the word that using public benefits to which people are entitled (with the longstanding exception of cash assistance and Medicaid-funded institutional care) will not adversely affect the immigration status of older adults and people with disabilities.

We will continue to keep you updated about policy changes like this one as they arise.

https://acl.gov/news-and-events/acl-blog/acl-policy-update-what-changes-public-charge-immigration-rule-mean-aging