Governor Patrick Rescinds Mass Health Cuts

In mid November 2009, officials from Mass Health recommended a variety of reductions to Medicaid funded programs in an effort to reduce Mass Health expenditures by over $100 million in FY 2010. The Executive Office of Administration and Finance had requested Mass Health trim its budget by nearly $300 million to address a shortfall caused by increased utilization during the recession. As previously reported, (“Planned Medicaid cuts hit dental, home care”, MGH Community News, November 2009) one of those proposals was to eliminate Personal Care Attendant coverage for those who have approval for less than 15 hours a week of service. Other recommendations included reducing Day Habilitation Services by one hour each day for every consumer. That reduction, combined with another recommendation to roll Day Hab rates back to 2008 levels would have resulted in funding reductions in excess of 22%. Acknowledging the importance of protecting the safety net for the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens served in Day Habilitation programs, Governor Deval Patrick has reversed the recommendation by Mass Health officials to reduce support for Day Habilitation and the PCA program.

-From “Governor Patrick Rescinds Mass Health Cuts”, December 5, 2009 in ADDP Updates (Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers), Arc of Massachusetts Updates, http://arcsouthshore.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/governor-patrick-rescinds-mass-health-cuts/ retrieved 1/11/10.

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