The Grey Panthers of California Letter Re: ALWPP
May 18, 2004
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,
Gray Panthers California wishes to express its strong opposition to the Assisted Living Waiver Pilot Program (ALWPP) proposed by the California Department of Health Services (DHS) for submit to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in June 2004. We strongly object to the fact that stakeholders were not invited to review and offer critique of the proposal.
The DHS proposal is contrary to statute and as well as needlessly bureaucratic. Further we find it discriminatory because it would restrict the choice of thousands of seniors who have chosen small living facilities. This is because of proposed changes requiring nurses, private rooms with bath and staff persons awake all night. Small facilities, so often preferred by family members for their home-like settings, would find this impossible and would not be able to be licensed as they are. Further, if this DHS proposal is ultimately used as a model for Olmstead development statewide, we are certain it will wind wasting millions of taxpayer dollars.
DHS did not consider an ALWPP alternative that incorporates current licensing guidelines, considers local market conditions, adopts prudent fiscal restraint (tiered reimbursement rates based on level of care), permits the widest array of contracted providers and serves as a useful template for aging in place for all participants.
We strongly believe in the principles of the State Olmstead Plan, still to be implemented, and feel stakeholders must and should be at the table in development of all proposals that would impact that plan.
We urge you to direct DHS to publish all details about the proposed ALWPP, and invite stakeholder input, by whatever means, and to consider alternative proposals before submitting any final version to CMS.
Sincerely,
Joan B. Lee
Legislative Liaison
Gray Panthers California