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MGH Community News |
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MGH Community News |
| June 2012 | Volume 16 • Issue 6 |
Highlights
Sections
Social Service staff may direct resource questions to the Community Resource Center, Lindsey Streahle, x6-8182. Questions, comments about the newsletter? Contact Ellen Forman, x6-5807. |
Remember that as of 7/1/12, the regular one-way fare for the MBTA’s The RIDE program will double to $4. (See previous articles for more information on fare changes: MBTA Revised Fare and Service Plan- Major Fare Increase for The RIDE, MGH Community News, March 2012. For more information on in-person assessment see: The RIDE In-Person Assessment - Update, MGH Community News, October 2011.) Staff have asked if this $4 will be charged for each leg of a trip in which one has to switch vehicles. We’ve been informed that the $4 fee should cover the entire one-way trip, regardless of distance or if one has to change vehicles. Implementation of some additional changes have been postponed.
-Thanks to Sarah Langer and Ashley Gaughan for sharing these updates. |
New Compassionate Allowances Diagnoses Over 50 additional diagnoses are being added to the SSI/SSDI Compassionate Allowances list starting 8/13/12. A diagnosis on the Compassionate Allowances list enables a fast-track disability approval for the purposes of applying for SSI or SSDI. See the full list: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances/conditions.htm |
Those with diagnoses on this list may find it to their advantage to wait to apply until after 8/13/12. There may be other factors, however, to take into consideration in deciding whether or not to delay application. For example, SSDI can only pay benefits retroactively for a date of disability onset within 12 months of the application date. So if the date of onset of disability is over 12 months before the application date, delaying the application may mean losing some retroactive payments. This would be an individual decision- is getting expedited benefits worth the loss of some benefits due? Upcoming additions to the list:
Immunity Offered to Younger Illegal Immigrants The Obama administration will stop deporting and begin granting work permits to younger illegal immigrants who came to the US as children and have since led law-abiding lives. Under the administration plan, illegal immigrants will be immune from deportation if they were brought to the United States before they turned 16 and are younger than 30, have been in the country for at least five continuous years, have no criminal history, graduated from a US high school or earned a GED, or served in the military. They also can apply for a work permit that will be good for two years with no limits on how many times it can be renewed. Illegal immigrant children won’t be eligible to apply for the deportation waiver until they turn 16, but the officials said younger children won’t be deported either. The policy will not lead toward citizenship but will remove the threat of deportation and grant the ability to work legally, leaving eligible immigrants able to remain in the United States for extended periods. Under the plan, immigrants whose deportation cases are pending in immigration court will have to prove their eligibility for a reprieve to ICE, which will begin dealing with such cases in 60 days. The exact details of how the program will work, including how much immigrants will have to pay to apply and what proof they will need, still are being worked out. -See the full Boston Globe article… Nursing Homes Pushed To Reduce Antipsychotic Drug Use This Year Federal regulators announced last month that they are setting a goal of reducing the use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing home residents by 15 percent by the end of this year. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said in a news release that its data found that almost 40 percent of nursing home residents with signs of dementia were receiving antipsychotic drugs at some point in 2010, even though they had not been diagnosed with a psychosis, which would warrant use of the drugs. The agency said more than 17 percent of nursing home residents that year were given daily doses of antipsychotics in excess of recommended levels. Twice since 2005, the US Food and Drug Administration has warned against use of these powerful sedatives in elderly patients with dementia because of sometimes lethal side effects. CMS has developed Hand in Hand, a training series for nursing homes that emphasizes person-centered care, prevention of abuse, and high-quality care for residents. CMS is emphasizing non-pharmacological alternatives for nursing home residents, including approaches such as consistent staff assignments, increased exercise or time outdoors, monitoring and managing pain, and individualized activities. The agency said it will also post data on each nursing home’s use of antipsychotic drugs on its Nursing Home Compare website in July. The Boston Globe posted similar data last month for each nursing home in the United States. In addition CMS is conducting research to better understand the decision to use or not to use antipsychotic drugs in residents with dementia. A study is underway in 20 to 25 nursing homes, evaluating this decision-making process. Findings will be used to target and implement approaches to improve the overall management of residents with dementia, including reducing the use of antipsychotic drugs in this population. -See the full Boston Globe article... New State “VALOR Act” Increases Veteran’s Services In late May Gov. Patrick signed a bill that will expand benefits and services to Massachusetts veterans and their families: "An Act Relative to Veterans' Access, Livelihood, Opportunity, and Resources" or the VALOR Act. The new law requires public colleges to award academic credit for a student's prior military training. It ensures that veterans who are charged with criminal complaints are considered for treatment programs, if eligible. It also calls for money to be available to help veterans with business ventures and employment. The measure also seeks to ease the costs of housing, utilities and medical services for families of service members killed in action. Among other provisions, the VALOR Act provides greater access to financial assistance for small businesses; affords greater opportunities for service-disabled veterans to participate in public projects; makes it easier for children of military personnel to transfer between school districts and states; and expands supports from the Massachusetts Military Family Relief Fund to Gold Star Families. The relief fund, which derives its funding from a voluntary tax check off on income tax returns, is used to defray the costs of food, housing, utilities, medical service and other expenses borne by Massachusetts National Guard and reserve service members and their families. Under the VALOR Act, Massachusetts will join other states as part of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The Compact is a tool for schools to make transition easier for the children of military families so that they are afforded the same opportunities for educational success as other children and are not penalized or delayed in achieving their educational goals. The average military student faces transition challenges more than twice during high school, and most military children will attend six to nine different school systems from kindergarten to 12th grade. The VALOR Act also calls for the state Board of Higher Education to require each public institution of higher education to develop a set of policies and procedures governing the evaluation of a student’s military occupation(s), military training, coursework, and experience, in order to determine whether academic credit shall be awarded for such experience, training, and coursework. The policy must be in place by March 1, 2013. The Patrick administration also recently launched a new web portal http://www.massvetsadvisor.org/ to help veterans and their families more easily access all available state and federal benefits in one place. -See the Patrick Administration Press Release. Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act On February 22, 2012, Governor Deval Patrick signed the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act. This new law provides for two very important changes. First, a “majority rule” prevents a single family member from vetoing the decision to make the gift. Second, an appointed health care agent (proxy) has the power to make a gift of your body during your life on your behalf, consistent with his role as your medical decision maker. These two policies complement the Commonwealth’s effort to enhance the system for organ donations, by removing unnecessary barriers and allowing access and distribution of a decedent’s organs in a timely manner. The Department of Public Health’s Advisory Council on Organ and Tissue Transplants and Donations was also re-established in order to increase organ and tissue donation and transplant awareness. The RMV is now required to provide a summary of the donor registry and anatomical gift act in every license and registration renewal. The RMV is also required to develop a donor registry database, which will provide electronic access to relative information on licensed drivers and ID holders who are registered donors. -See full article:A Meaningful Last Gift: The Anatomical Gift Act in Massachusetts, by Nikki Marie Oliveira, Margolis & Bloom, LLP; linked from: News from Margolis & Bloom, LLP - June 4, 2012, June 04, 2012. -Also see the current Caring Headlines: http://www.mghpcs.org/News/CaringHeadlines/Documents/2012/June_14_2012.pdf See "Fielding the Issues I", p. 14. Unemployment Benefits Period Cut The amount of time people in Massachusetts can collect unemployment benefits will be reduced by about 13 weeks as a result of the state’s steadily declining jobless rate. As of June 23, 2012, unemployed workers in Massachusetts will receive a maximum of 60 weeks of benefits, down from 73 in February, and 99 weeks during the worst of the recession in 2009. With the reduction, the state estimates about 1,600 people a week will exhaust benefits. The cut in benefits is the result of federal rules approved in February, which reduce emergency unemployment benefits by 13 weeks if the three-month average of a state’s jobless rate falls below 7 percent. The Massachusetts unemployment rate has remained below 7 percent since December, and fell to 6 percent in May. The national unemployment rate was 8.2 percent in May. Those already receiving “Tier III” benefits (the 13 week extension no longer offered to new recipients) will be able to collect through December 29, 2012. -See the full Boston Globe article… South Shore Hospital to Join Partners systemSouth Shore Hospital in Weymouth has agreed to become a member of the Partners HealthCare medical system. Under the agreement, South Shore Hospital would become part of Partners, but keep its name and remain an independently licensed, not-for-profit health care provider. The hospital would maintain its own board of directors, medical staff, community connections, and fund-raising activities. The deal still must go through state and federal regulatory review, a process that is expected to take several months. In addition to Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women’s hospitals in Boston, Partners owns Faulkner Hospital in Boston, McLean Hospital in Belmont, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and North Shore Medical Center in Salem. -See the full Boston Globe article…
Massachusetts’ HomeCorps Program Halting Foreclosures HomeCorps is a new program launched by Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley to keep homeowners out of foreclosure. It’s being funded with money from a multistate settlement with five major US banks. Since late April, the office has received about 3,000 calls to its hot line — 617-573-5333 — and has taken on about 1,865 cases. Because of the demand, the staff of six is expected to soon expand to 18. HomeCorps’ staff of temporary workers will be based in Boston and other hard-hit cities like Springfield, Worcester, and New Bedford. HomeCorps formalizes assistance that the state has been offering since the foreclosure crisis started five years ago, Coakley said. Coakley said many foreclosures can be avoided by enlisting a middleman — especially one that wields the influence of the state’s top regulator — to work with lenders on behalf of borrowers. Laurin J. Mottle, the HomeCorps director, said the program is effective because staff members have direct contacts at banks, making it easier for them to get answers and action. They also solve simple issues that otherwise can stall a loan modification, she said. For instance, Mottle said lenders often reject an application because of missing documentation without explaining to a homeowner what they need to submit. Other times, the solution to a problem is as simple as checking a box on an application, she said. -See the full Boston Globe article… MassHousing’s Tenancy Preservation Program MassHousing’s Tenancy Preservation Program (TPP) works to prevent homelessness among people with disabilities. TPP works with tenants, individuals or families, facing eviction as a result of behavior related to a disability (e.g., mental illness, mental retardation, substance abuse, aging-related impairments). TPP clinicians assess the reasons for the eviction, identify needed services, develop a treatment plan to maintain the tenancy, and monitor the case. In consultation with the Housing Court Department, TPP works with the property owner and tenant to determine whether the disability can be reasonably accommodated and the tenancy preserved. If the tenancy cannot be preserved, TPP coordinates the tenant's transition to a more appropriate placement, preventing homelessness whenever possible. TPP operates statewide in the five geographic regions served by the Housing Court Department (Boston, Northeast, Southeast, Worcester and Western). -See website for more information or download the brochure. Also see: TPP Regions and Contacts NOTE: Greater Boston Office is Closed. As an alternative- they operate a website and hotline to find elder transportation: www.ridesinsight.org or call 1-855-607-4337, Monday - Friday, 8AM - 8PM Eastern Time. Using a mix of volunteer and paid drivers, the Independent Transportation Network (iTN Greater Boston) was launched in January of this year to provide transportation for seniors (60 and over) and people with visual impairments in Boston and the western suburbs. Greater Boston is the 22nd affiliate in 17 states. Seniors pay an annual membership fee plus the cost of the rides, though subsidies are available. If one sets rides up in advance, with enough use the service is cheaper than a cab even for those who do not qualify for a subsidy. Rides are provided in private automobiles by trained and screened volunteer drivers. iTN Rates Pick-up Charge:
Per Mile Cost :
Membership: Annual membership fee ($60.00 for individuals and $100.00 for a family membership). Communities Served by ITNGreaterBoston
For more information: http://itngreaterboston.com/ - Adapted from News from Margolis & Bloom, LLP - June 4, 2012. House of Hope, Inc. is pleased to announce the opening of a new workforce development effort serving homeless families in Lowell, MA. The Hope Chest is a children's resale store owned and operated by House of Hope at 397 Market Street in Lowell that employs homeless mothers. The Hope Chest consists of a small retail operation selling affordable gently used children's clothing. The goals of the program are three-fold:
All funds generated from the Hope Chest go back into delivering the program. Currently the House of Hope can only afford to open the store on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays from 9am-2pm, but they hope to expand the hours of operation by soliciting grants and support. -FromNew Initiative at House of Hope, housingbenefits@googlegroups.com, May 31, 2012.
New Hostel Provides More Affordable Lodging in Hub Hostelling International has moved to a new 480-bed, $46 million facility on Stuart Street. The newly opened hostel aims to satisfy the growing demand for affordable accommodations in Boston. The new hostel, which has more than twice the number of beds as the old facility, charges $29 to $59 a night for dorm rooms that sleep four to eight people (in bunk beds). The hostel also has 20 private rooms that go for $89 to $169 a night. On the second floor, there’s a pool table, computer room, TV lounge, and a dining room with a wall of windows looking out onto Stuart Street. TVs outside each elevator broadcast local news and weather forecasts; the washing machines are hooked up to a website that shows visitors when their laundry is finished. The builders worked to create an environmentally efficient property, using reclaimed beams from the building to make tables and stairs and installing energy-efficient elevators and plenty of windows to let in more natural light. Tables are made from recycled aluminum, chairs from plastic Coke bottles. More information:http://www.hihostels.com/ -See the full Boston Globe article… The Women’s Bar Foundation ( WBF) recruits and trains volunteer attorneys to provide low-income women legal representation. They assist five main populations/projects: Family Law Project for Battered Women (FLP) The FLP represents clients who have been denied representation by a legal services agency, often because they are slightly over income guidelines. The FLP staff provide ongoing legal support including drafting pleadings, preparing a client for court, and informing clients as to their legal rights and recourses.
The Elder Law Project makes presentations to elders at senior centers and low-income elderly housing developments to explain the purpose and importance of end-of-life-documents such as wills, health care proxies, durable powers of attorney, and living wills and to complete them on a pro-bono basis for those interested. Framingham Project for Incarcerated Women The Framingham Project serves women incarcerated in Massachusetts’ prisons and jails, or those who have been involved with the criminal justice system. Volunteer attorneys work to clear warrants, seal CORIs, help women get released from prison in a timely manner. Women's Lunch Place Project The WBF partners with the Women’s Lunch Place, a daytime refuge for homeless women, to help meet the legal needs of its guests. Without legal advocacy, many of the women are left to navigate the complex judicial system alone, often with unsuccessful results. Some examples of issues addressed include:
Hampden County Housing Court Project The Hampden County Housing Court Project helps reduce the number of unrepresented people in Housing Court. More Information:http://www.womensbar.org/ Referrals:
-Thanks to Carol McSheffrey for sharing this resource and thanks to Samantha Gallant for forwarding. Guide: “Transitioning Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorders; Resources and Timeline Planning for Adult Living” The Massachusetts Autism Consortium has created a guide for parents to help plan for the needs of young adults with autism spectrum disorders. The guide “Transitioning Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorders; Resources and Timeline Planning for Adult Living ” has sections on High School Education planning, Guardianship, Independent Living Skills, Post-Secondary Education, Employment, Healthcare, Housing, Recreation and Day Rehabilitation Programs, Public Benefits and Government Agencies, and Financial Planning. Download the guide at: http://asdinfo.ehclients.com/attachments/Autism_Consortium_Reference_Guide_FINAL.pdf More about the Autism Consortium: www.autismconsortium.org -Thanks to Shellie Legere for sharing this resource.
Private Health Insurance Open Enrollment Private health insurance is now only available for purchase in Massachusetts during an annual open enrollment period, which falls on July 1 – Aug 15 each year. This special annual open enrollment applies only to individuals who are purchasing insurance completely out of pocket. It does not pertain to state subsidized coverage programs (like MassHealth and Commonwealth Care) or to employer sponsored coverage. There are some exceptions for individuals to purchase insurance outside of this open enrollment period (such as if they lose eligibility for state coverage, move into the state, or move outside their current insurance plan’s service area). Who is eligible to purchase insurance during this open enrollment period?
How to purchase private coverage: The easiest way to purchase private insurance is through the state Connector’s Commonwealth Choice program.
-Adapted from e-mail correspondence from Kim Simonian, MPH , Associate Director, Patient Access , Partners HealthCare - Community Health , June 28, 2012.
Former Bridge Members About to Undergo Eligibility Review All Commonwealth Care members are subject to an annual eligibility review to maintain health insurance coverage. Commonwealth Care members previously enrolled in the Bridge program have been excluded from this annual review process since September of 2009. Now that they have been reenrolled in Commonwealth Care they are once again subject to eligibility review. Commonwealth Care and MassHealth started sending reviews this week. Reviews will be sent on a weekly basis through July 23rd . This review process for the former Bridge members will be the same as the standard review process. Learn More: Review these slides to learn more or contact the TTY 1-877-623-7773 for people with partial or total hearing loss Monday - Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. -Adapted from: MA Health Care Training Forum Update, on behalf of MA Health Care Training Forum, June 27, 2012. Increase in Observation Stays May Cause Problems for Medicare Beneficiaries Health Affairs recently published a study highlighting a 24 percent increase in observation stays from 2007 to 2009. Additionally, Medicare beneficiaries were held in observation for longer periods of time—some for at least 72 hours, well past Medicare’s recommended 24 to 48 hours. Observation services allow physicians to evaluate a hospital patient when it is unclear whether or not that patient should be formally admitted. The study’s authors suggest that this trend may be a result of recent Medicare payment policies intended to reduce avoidable hospital readmissions and contain costs. The study suggests that this shift from inpatient admissions to observation stays may create barriers to skilled nursing facility care for those who need it, as Medicare requires that beneficiaries spend three days in an inpatient setting to qualify for skilled nursing care under the Part A benefit. Patients under observation status are considered outpatients. -Adapted fromMedicare Watch, Volume 3, Issue 22 , The Medicare Rights Center, June 7, 2012. Medicare Reminder: Medicare and VA BenefitsYou can have both Medicare and veterans (VA) benefits, but they do not work together. To receive VA benefits, you must receive care at a VA facility. Medicare does not pay for any care provided at a VA facility. You should enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B to guarantee coverage outside the VA system. If you drop Medicare, you will have to get all of your health care at VA facilities. -From Medicare Watch, Volume 3, Issue 25, Medicare Rights Center, June 28, 2012.
Massachusetts FY 13 Conference Committee Budget House and Senate lawmakers delivered a state budget to Governor Deval Patrick on Thursday for the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The governor now has 10 days to review the bill and issue any vetoes. With sufficient support the legislature may then override individual vetoed provisions. Below are some highlights.
- See the full Boston Globe article… Social Security Disability Fund Headed for Insolvency The Social Security disability program’s trust fund is projected to run out of cash far sooner than the better-known Social Security retirement plan or Medicare. That will trigger a 21 percent cut in benefits to 11 million Americans - disabled people, their spouses, and children - many of whom rely on the program to stay out of poverty. Part of the reason for the burgeoning costs is that the 77 million baby boomers projected to swamp federal retirement plans will reach the disability program first. That is because almost all boomers are at least 50 years old, the age at which someone is most likely to become disabled. The growing costs are also a result of the economy, because when people can’t find work and run through their jobless benefits, many turn to disability for assistance. Applications to the disability program have risen more than 30 percent since 2007 - the last recession started in December of that year - and the number of Americans receiving disability benefits is up 23 percent. The disability program, which has been spending more than it receives in revenue for four consecutive years, is projected to exhaust its trust fund in 2016, according to a Social Security trustees report released last month. By comparison, the separate trust fund financing senior citizens’ Social Security benefits is projected to run out in 2035 while Medicare’s primary fund will be exhausted in 2024. Once the disability program runs through its reserve, incoming payroll tax revenue will cover only 79 percent of benefits, according to the trustees. Because the plan is barred from running a deficit, aid would have to be cut to match revenue. -See the full Boston Globe article…
Offering Comfort on the Loss of a Loved One VitalSmarts, the consulting group that wrote the books Crucial Conversations and Crucial Confrontations, among others, has an e-newsletter in which they offer tips and advice. In a recent column, Joseph Grenny reviewed feedback from their readers to answer the following questions about offering support after the loss of a loved one:
The article is readable and full of examples and practical suggestions. It might be of use to grieving families for their own well-being and/or for them to share with friends and acquaintances. -See the article with additional tips and a link to the original reader comments at: http://www.crucialskills.com/2012/06/coping-with-the-loss-of-a-loved-one/ Efficacy of Exposure versus Cognitive Therapy in Anxiety Disorders This meta-analysis compared the relative efficacy of Cognitive Therapy (CT) versus Exposure (E) for a range of anxiety disorders using the most clinically relevant outcome measures and estimating the summary relative efficacy by combining the studies in a meta- analysis. The researchers included 20 Randomised Controlled Trials with (n = 1,308) directly comparing the efficacy of CT and E in anxiety disorders. They found that there appears to be no evidence of differential efficacy between cognitive therapy and exposure in Traumatic Stress Disorder, in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and in Panic Disorder, and strong evidence of superior efficacy of cognitive therapy in social phobia -See the full article summary on Medscape.com… Study- Telephone CBT As Effective As Face-to-Face Treatment Delivering cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) by telephone is as effective in treating depression as delivering it face-to-face new research shows. Furthermore, telephone therapy is safe and has a higher patient retention rate. "Depression affects 7% to 10% of Americans every year and is the leading cause of disability, when counting lost days of work, productivity, and ability to fill social roles," lead author David C. Mohr, PhD, from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, told Medscape Medical News. "Most depressed patients would prefer psychotherapy to be part of their treatment, as it can help them learn to better manage the stresses and difficulties that contribute to depression. But 75% of depressed primary care patients identify barriers that prevent them from accessing care," Dr. Mohr said. The study is published in the June 6 issue of JAMA. -See the full article summary on Medscape.com… Lonely Elderly at Risk for Functional Decline, Death Loneliness in older adults has been linked to an increased risk for functional decline and mortality, new research shows. A longitudinal cohort study of adults older than 60 years showed that loneliness was associated with a 59% increased risk for functional decline and a 45% increased risk for death over a 6-year follow-up period. "One of the practical applications of this research is in developing interventions" to combat loneliness, Emily M. Bucholz, MPH, who is an MD/PhD student at Yale University School of Medicine and School of Public Health and who is the coauthor of a linked commentary, told Medscape Medical News. "Depending on the mechanisms identified, interventions could include the treatment of depression, referrals to in-home caregivers, or methods to improve medication administration or nutrition," she said. The study was published online June 18 in Archives of Internal Medicine. -See the full article - Arch Intern Med. Published online June 18, 2012. -See the full article summary on Medscape.com… Task Force Chair Defends DSM-5 Below, DSM-5 Task Force Chair Dr. David Kupfer defends the proposed revision (excerpted). The development process that has brought DSM-5 to this point has been highly visible, transparent to an unprecedented degree, and inclusive, with 3 online comment periods since early 2010 that have drawn nearly 12,000 responses to date. Yet, predictably in this blogosphere age, the process has at times provoked heated commentary and dire warnings from some critics. Without question, the upcoming edition is an iterative work and will remain so until the final proofs go to the publisher. Charges that DSM-5 will lower diagnostic thresholds and lead to a higher prevalence of mental disorders are patently wrong. Results from our field trials, secondary data analyses, and other studies indicate that there will be essentially no change in the overall rates of disorders once DSM-5 is in use. Some have argued that the publication of DSM-5 should be delayed. But the current manual's shortcomings, particularly in the area of childhood disorders, compel us to move forward now, with changes supported by the most credible research available and the practical experiences provided by our field trials. We then need to maintain vigilance, understanding that improvement will be an ongoing process. -See the full defense on Medscape.com…
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