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MGH Community News |
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MGH Community News |
| August 2023 | Volume 27 • Issue 8 |
Highlights
Sections Social Service staff may direct resource questions to the Community Resource Center, Hannah Perry, 617-726-8182. Questions, comments about the newsletter? Contact Ellen Forman, 617-726-5807. |
State Budget Makes Free School Meals Permanent, Reinstates RAFT Hold on Evictions, Pilots ConnectorCare Income Limit and More Gov. Healey this month signed into law her first annual state budget last Wednesday, approving the vast majority of the $56 billion spending bill, which includes a slew of new initiatives and policies. Here are some highlights.
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Sources and for More Information
MA Opens Second Family Welcome Center – This One in Quincy State officials earlier this month opened the second welcome center for resident and migrant families experiencing homelessness on the campus of Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy. Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh said the center, the first to also accommodate an on-site shelter, is meant to serve the growing number of people seeking refuge in Massachusetts. The state has seen a growing number immigrants arriving from Haiti and South America to a state already struggling with the low availability and high cost of housing. “Our goal is for everyone to get to the welcome centers, because that’s a much better place for them to arrive in our country than a busy hospital emergency room,” she said. The Quincy center, located at an arts center and dormitory at the college, will be open seven days a week to help families connect to short- and long-term shelter, state officials say. It will be run in a collaboration between the nonprofit Bay State Community Services and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. The center also will be the first to have on-site shelter meant to house 58 families at a building adjacent to the arts center. The shelter is being run by a Virginia-based company, AMI Expeditionary Healthcare, which "provides medical services to international aid organizations, humanitarian concerns, the private sector and government agencies,'' according to its website. In addition to support from the Office for Refugees and Immigrants, teams from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and MassHealth will conduct onsite enrollment in benefits for families. The onsite shelter includes 55 rooms in a dorm building, plus three apartments. Buildings are equipped with free laundry machines and common areas and will be furnished with child-appropriate activities. The campus is walkable from the Wollaston MBTA station, has ample green space and recreational fields, and is close to local amenities including playgrounds, a public beach, and a pharmacy. AMI has contracted with a Creole cuisine company to have culturally appropriate food available for the many new arrivals from Haiti, according to Walsh. “This is a lot of work — a lot of thought and care went into it, like finding a staff that speaks Haitian Creole,” she said. Organizers also are setting up a rotation of Haitian pastors who can “come and conduct church services so that people who have gone on such a long and arduous journey can have a moment of basic time to reflect,” she added. Tips and Additional Information from Quincy Shelter Staff Our priority population at the Quincy shelter location is immigrant refugees, with a focus on the Haitian community. That being said, we are open to other families in need of shelter services. People eligible for admission in the shelter must be:
To Refer To refer email fwc@baystatecs.org or call the FWC desk at 857-387-3066. As of this writing, the shelter is completely full, so please do not just send someone over for shelter. If you have a family needing to be housed, please contact our staff and we can connect with our shelter team to see if we can arrange emergency housing for the night. At this time, we are completing an intake assessment, and if families are eligible for shelter, we are transferring them hotels the state has identified. There are limited rooms available each night as state agencies are sending us families on a daily basis based on our availability each morning. I would hate for you to send a family only to find out we are out of rooms. Please also note that it takes about 30-45 minutes for us to complete an assessment, provide the families with basic needs and food, and arrange transportation to a hotel. Therefore, we will need to have families at our door 30-45 minutes before we close in order to complete this process. The address for the welcome center is: 56 Wendell Dr., Quincy, MA and its hours are: Sources and for more information
Up to 93 Migrant Families to be Housed at Foxboro Hotel The state is renting rooms at a Foxboro hotel to serve as long-term temporary housing for as many as 93 migrant families, Acting Town Manager Paige Duncan said this month. The state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) will place the families in the hotel “on a staggered basis,” starting imminently, Duncan said in a statement. Gov. Maura Healey’s office notified Duncan this week of the plan. Earlier this month, Healey declared a state of emergency because of the ongoing migrant situation and Massachusetts’ overburdened shelter system. The emergency declaration also enabled the governor to appeal to the president for disaster relief funding, which could include money for emergency housing, food and water. In accordance with the state’s mandates, she said the town is in the process of formulating strategies to ensure the well-being and health of individuals arriving under the Massachusetts Right to Shelter Law. Collaborative efforts with local and regional non-profit organizations, as well as the regional transit authority, are planned for the coming week to address the needs of the incoming families, she said. “Moving forward, our community leaders will meet with local and regional non-profits, and faith organizations, to address the immediate and medium-term necessities of the incoming families,” Duncan said. Public Health Nurse and Deputy Fire Chief Tom Kenvin, the chief of the department’s emergency medical services, are meeting with area hospitals and healthcare providers to ensure that there are services for expectant mothers. The town is also working to increase its available translation services, according to Duncan. School Superintendent Amy Berdos will be working with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on logistics to provide educational services and support to the children placed in town. The superintendent has been told that the state will be providing immediate funding assistance to school districts on a per pupil basis. The town is aggressively working with the state to identify support in terms of funding, supplies and resources, and town leaders will be working closely with local legislators as the situation continues to evolve, Duncan said. Detailed information is currently limited due to the evolving nature of the situation, she said. Duncan said officials are working to assess the needs of the new residents and more information about how others may help will be provided as soon as possible. - See the full Sun Chronicle article.
Pilot will Extend ConnectorCare Income Limit An estimated 50,000 people will become newly eligible for ConnectorCare health insurance, which the state advertises as offering “$0 or low monthly premiums, low out-of-pocket costs, and no deductibles.” ConnectorCare provides low-cost coverage for people who don’t have access to affordable private coverage and are not eligible for Medicare or MassHealth. The Massachusetts Health Connector Board of Directors unanimously approved regulatory changes required in the $56 billion fiscal 2024 state budget that Gov. Maura Healey signed this month to expand access to the low-cost insurance program. Lawmakers included in the budget a two-year pilot program to expand the income limits for ConnectorCare from 300 percent of the federal poverty level to 500 percent. An individual making 500 percent of the federal poverty level has an annual income of $72,900, and a family of four brings in $150,000, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The open enrollment period for 2024 coverage through the Health Connector will begin on Nov 1, and starting very soon the Health Connector will begin its annual redetermination process for its existing members to renew their coverage in 2024. This year, Open Enrollment will overlap with the MassHealth redetermination process which began on April 1, 2023 and will continue through March 31, 2024. It looks like the new pilot will be ready for Open Enrollment 2024. People with income from 300-500% FPL are already potentially eligible for federal premium tax credits to lower the costs of coverage through the Health Connector. (The Inflation Reduction Act lifted the statutory cap of 400% FPL through calendar year 2025). The Health Connector’s “Get an Estimate” tool shows the range of coverage options available today. However, for people with income over 300% FPL, available coverage often meant sizable deductibles and other out of pocket costs. ConnectorCare offers the added benefit of a standardized plan, with no deductible or coinsurance, and copays on a sliding scale basis that are currently based on three income tiers: nominal drug copays for people with income of 100% FPL or less, and higher copays for people with income of 100-200% FPL and 200-300% FPL. Audrey Morse Gasteier, executive director of the Massachusetts Health Connector, said a newly eligible individual making close to the new limit could save up to $4,000 on health care costs each year by opting into the program now available to them. This is the first time since the Connector was created in 2006 that the state has expanded state-level subsidy support for residents, Gasteier said Monday. The pilot could provide a new option for some Bay Staters who lose MassHealth coverage amid a massive, year-long campaign to trim enrollment for the first time since the pandemic began. Officials have estimated the redetermination process could shrink the MassHealth rolls by up to 400,000 people, who will need to get coverage elsewhere. To be eligible for ConnectorCare insurance, a resident must not have access to affordable, employer-sponsored insurance, the executive director said. - See the full WWLP.com story with additional material from [Health-announce] August 14, 2023 Health Update, Vicky Pulos, MLRI, August 14, 2023.
DTA Assistance Line High Volume Challenges – Advocacy Tips
Mass Law Reform Institute (MLRI) has been hearing reports from clients and community partners that it has been difficult at times to get through the DTA Assistance Line - 877 382 2362 - due to a high volume of calls. When the Assistance Line has high caller volume, callers are often automatically disconnected from the phone line without getting into the phone line waiting queue.
- See MassLegalServices.org, Shared at August SNAP coalition meeting; thanks to Hannah Perry for forwarding.
New SNAP Medical Expenses Form Now that the public health emergency has ended and all SNAP households are no longer receiving the maximum benefit for their family size, it is important for those over age 60 or receiving benefits related to a disability (adults and children may qualify if they receive SSDI, SSI, EAEDC as disabled, MassHealth as disabled or another disability-based benefit) to know that they can claim certain out-of-pocket medical expenses as an income deduction and thereby increase their SNAP benefits.
DTA now has a form that members can complete that prompts them for a variety of allowable medical expenses. It is available in 6 languages: mass.gov/lists/out-of-pocket-medical-expenses-form Note: not every elder/disabled household will benefit from claiming medical costs. MLRI has created a series of "At-A-Glance Charts" that help you figure out how much a household will get, including a special chart to help you understand when medical expenses make a difference for SNAP recipients whose rent is 30% of their unearned income. - Thanks to Hannah Perry for sharing the new form!
More Older Adults Fill Insulin Prescriptions Under Inflation Reduction Act As more features of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are implemented, more people with Medicare are seeing the benefits of the law. According to new research, this includes better access to care. There have been thousands more insulin prescriptions filled for Medicare beneficiaries since the IRA’s insulin cost-sharing limits went into effect this year. As of January 1, cost-sharing for insulin has been limited to $35 per month for a month’s supply of an insulin product covered under Part D. The new study compared changes in insulin fills for Part D enrollees aged 65 to 74 and found these beneficiaries filled nearly 4,000 more monthly prescriptions from January through April of 2023 than from September through December of 2022. This is an important improvement because previous research has shown that many insulin-dependent diabetics tragically ration their insulin due to high costs and that over 20% of older adults did not take one or more medications as prescribed in 2020 due to costs. (At the beginning of July, the cost-sharing limit also went into effect under Part B for insulin used with an infusion pump, but any resulting access changes were not included in the study.) The new study also looked at any access changes for people aged 60 to 64 years without Medicare and found that insulin fills declined for this cohort, pointing to the need for robust prescription drug affordability interventions across the health care system. The IRA made other changes in 2023, including eliminating cost-sharing for all Medicare-covered vaccines and the implementation of a program to penalize drug companies for raising prices faster than inflation. Even more changes will take effect in January of 2024, including extended eligibility for the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program (also called “Extra Help”), a cap on Part D out-of-pocket spending for enrollees, a lower cap in 2025, and drug price negotiation starting in 2026. Read more about the new insulin fill study. - From Medicare Watch, Medicare Rights Center, August 3, 2023.
There’s Still Time for Long-Term Borrowers to Qualify for Student Loan Forgiveness Under Adjustment This month, hundreds of thousands of borrowers are receiving student loan forgiveness as a result of a Biden administration initiative that adjusts qualifying payment counts. “Beginning this week, 804,000 student loan borrowers started receiving $39 billion in automatic student loan discharges thanks to fixes to income-driven repayment (IDR) plans implemented by the Biden-Harris Administration,” said the Education Department in a statement. But this is just the first group of borrowers approved for student debt relief under the adjustment initiative. Borrowers who don’t qualify now still have time to become eligible for loan forgiveness before the temporary program ends. Student Loan Forgiveness Under Fixes To IDR And PSLFThis round of student loan forgiveness is a result of the IDR Account Adjustment, a temporary Biden administration initiative first released last year. Biden established the program to address past failures in administering Income-Driven Repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness. These programs allow borrowers to receive student loan forgiveness after many years in repayment — 20 or 25 years for IDR plans, and as little as 10 years for PSLF (if borrowers were working in qualifying public service employment). But because of longstanding problems, few borrowers actually received student loan forgiveness through either IDR or PSLF. The programs had complex eligibility criteria that were often poorly communicated by loan servicers and the government. In some cases, borrowers were steered into costly forbearances and deferments, rather than IDR or PSLF, costing borrowers in interest accrual and resulting in years of addition repayment. And even when borrowers did everything right, loan servicers and the government did not always track their progress toward loan forgiveness or properly count qualifying payments. The IDR Account Adjustment was designed to fix these historical issues. The initiative authorizes the Education Department to credit borrowers with payments toward student loan forgiveness that may not have counted previously. This includes past loan repayment periods under any repayment plan (it does not have to be IDR specifically), as well as some deferment and forbearance periods. Borrowers who reach the 20- or 25-year threshold for IDR student loan forgiveness after receiving the adjusted credit can have their loans completely discharged. Other borrowers will fall short of the threshold for loan forgiveness but will nevertheless advance their progress, shortening their remaining time in repayment. And borrowers can also receive PSLF credit as far back as October 1, 2007 for periods during which they were working in qualifying nonprofit or government jobs.And more borrowers may qualify for relief under the initiative in the coming months, as well, before the program ends. “ED will continue to identify and notify borrowers who reach the necessary forgiveness threshold,” says the Education Department in updated guidance. “We will send these notifications out every two months until next year, at which point all borrowers who are not yet eligible for forgiveness will have their payment counts updated.” How To Qualify For Student Loan Forgiveness Under The IDR Account AdjustmentBorrowers who already have Direct federal student loans can qualify automatically for the IDR Account Adjustment. No action is necessary. Borrowers who don’t receive enough credit to qualify for immediate student loan forgiveness should have their IDR payment counts updated sometime in 2024, even if they are not currently enrolled in an IDR plan. However, borrowers who are short of the threshold for loan forgiveness would need to continue repaying their student loans under an IDR plan — such as Biden’s new SAVE plan — in order to continue progressing toward eventual loan forgiveness. Borrowers who have non-Direct federal student loans, such as commercial FFEL loans, do need to take steps to qualify for the adjustment. These borrowers must consolidate their loans via the federal Direct consolidation program. In addition, some borrowers who have Direct loans with significantly different loan repayment histories may also want to consider Direct loan consolidation. The good news is that there is still time to consolidate. “The adjustment will be applied to most borrowers’ accounts in 2024. It will be applied only to Direct and FFEL Program loans held by ED. If you have commercially held FFEL or any Perkins or HEAL loans, you will need to consolidate them before the end of 2023 to benefit from the account adjustment,” says Education Department guidance. “If you are a PSLF borrower who receives the adjustment in Fall 2023 (or you received an adjustment under the limited PSLF wavier) and you then consolidate later in 2023, your new consolidation loan will receive the account adjustment as long as you apply for the new consolidation loan on or before Dec. 31, 2023.” Borrowers seeking student loan forgiveness through the PSLF program must take the additional step of certifying their public service employment in order to receive PSLF credit. This can be done online via the Education Department’s PSLF portal. Further Student Loan Forgiveness Reading
- Thanks to Seguin Spear for sharing this article. - See the full Forbes article.
Extension and Redesignation of Ukraine for TPS and New Resource Eligibility The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the extension and redesignation of Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months from Oct. 20, 2023, through April 19, 2025. DHS also posted a Federal Register notice for public inspection. The extension and redesignation of Ukraine for TPS allows existing beneficiaries to re-register to retain TPS through April 19, 2025, if they otherwise continue to meet the eligibility requirements for TPS. Existing TPS beneficiaries who wish to extend their status through April 19, 2025, must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period. The redesignation of Ukraine allows additional Ukrainian nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine) who have continuously resided in the United States since Aug. 16, 2023, and been continuously physically present in the United States since Oct. 20, 2023, to file initial applications to obtain TPS.
The Federal Register notice explains the procedures necessary for an individual to re-register under the extension or submit an initial application under the redesignation and to apply for an Employment Authorization Document. More Information DHS will plan and coordinate outreach opportunities to provide information and answer questions from the public regarding the extension and redesignation of Ukraine for TPS. For the most current information related to Temporary Protected Status, visit our TPS webpage. New Resource Eligibility The Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act (AUSAA) authorizes ORR to provide resettlement assistance and other benefits available for refugees to specific Ukrainian populations and other non-Ukrainian individuals in response to their displacement from Ukraine and entry into the United States. Effective May 21, 2022, Ukrainian nationals (citizens) admitted to the U.S. as humanitarian parolees (UHPs) and other non-Ukrainian individuals displaced from Ukraine are eligible for SNAP benefits. If an individual from either of these populations was paroled and entered the United States between February 24, 2022, and May 21, 2022 and applied for SNAP during that time, their date of eligibility is May 21, 2022. If they were granted humanitarian parole after May 21, 2022, their date of eligibility is their date of application for SNAP benefits. UHPs and other non-Ukrainian individuals displaced from Ukraine are eligible for SNAP benefits until the end of the individual’s parole term, unless otherwise amended by law or the individual gains another qualifying noncitizen status. These individuals are not subject to a waiting period and are immediately eligible for benefits as long as they meet all other SNAP financial and non-financial eligibility requirements. Ukrainian individuals as well as other non-Ukrainian individuals displaced from Ukraine are eligible for SNAP if they are a:
Benefits for UHP vs. TPS If a UHP or other non-Ukrainian individual displaced from Ukraine applies for and subsequently obtains Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the individual will remain eligible for SNAP benefits until the end of the individual’s parole term, due to their prior eligibility as a humanitarian parole per INA section 212(d)(5). However, an individual with only TPS and no underlying humanitarian parole is not eligible for SNAP benefits and services. If a client provides TPS documentation only, staff must explore if the individual previously met a qualifying status and request documentation to verify eligibility for SNAP benefits. Sources and For More Information
City of Boston Offering Free COVID Tests The City of Boston is offering COVID test kits at pickup sites in the community. See the site for distribution hubs throughout the city: https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-health-commission/free-covid-19-home-test-kits. Fact sheets and testing instructions are also available on the site. Service providers and community partners may also request tests for distribution to their clients or to become a distribution hub. Applications are on the site. - See the full announcement on the Boston Public Health Commission website.
Special Medicare Enrollment Period for those Losing Medicaid after the PHE Transitioning to Medicare CMS previously announced a new Medicare Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for individuals who were enrolled in Medicaid during the Public Health Emergency (PHE) and missed their Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) for Medicare. Individuals can use the SEP to enroll in Medicare within 6 months of losing Medicaid without facing a late enrollment penalty. Because the SEP is new, Social Security Administration (SSA) employees may not be familiar with it. Advocates often find providing the relevant SSA Program Operations Manual System (POMS) cite to the SSA employee helps speed up the enrollment process: HI 00805.385 Exceptional Conditions Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for Termination of Medicaid Eligibility. A similar SEP also exists for the Health Insurance Marketplace for people who are not eligible for Medicare or employer-based coverage. - From New Tips and Updated Federal Resources on Medicaid Unwinding, Justice in Aging, August 2, 2023.
Update to MassHealth CommonHealth Eligibility for Seniors MassHealth CommonHealth provides health care benefits for people with disabilities whose incomes are too high to be eligible for MassHealth Standard. There are no income or asset limits regardless of age, but those with income above 150% FPL will pay a monthly premium based on their income. Certain members need to meet a one-time deductible. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently approved MassHealth’s 1115 waiver which expands eligibility for CommonHealth applicants who are age 65 and older. Members who were enrolled on MassHealth CommonHealth for at least 10 years are now eligible to remain on MassHealth CommonHealth after turning 65. This CommonHealth expansion will allow seniors determined to have a disability at higher income levels who are not working and may not otherwise have been eligible to remain on MassHealth. Prior to the implementation of this rule, members who were eligible for MassHealth CommonHealth and turned 65 were either no longer eligible for CommonHealth or had to continue to be employed at least 40 hours per month. MassHealth members who do not meet the 10-year criteria may still receive CommonHealth if they continue to be employed at least 40 hours per month (or have worked at least 240 hours in the six months before the date of the SACA-2-ERV submission). Members applying for MassHealth CommonHealth aged 65 and older, regardless of employment status, will be subject to all other rules for the CommonHealth program, including payment of premium bills. These members will be required to submit an updated renewal or SACA-2 application for seniors over age 65, and MassHealth must confirm that they do not otherwise meet the criteria for MassHealth Standard. When a CommonHealth member age 65 and older submits an application or renewal to apply for the expansion, they should write “CommonHealth” on the front page of the application so the renewal form is routed to the appropriate unit for processing. Please see MassHealth’s Eligibility Operations Memo 23-19: Changes to MassHealth CommonHealth Eligibility for Seniors for the official announcement of this change. - From Update to MassHealth CommonHealth Eligibility for Seniors Massachusetts Health Care Training Forum, August 9, 2023 with additional material from https://umassmed.typepad.com/files/commonhealth-info.pdf
Medicare Reminder: Insulin Coverage and Costs Part D may cover insulin and related medical supplies used to inject insulin (syringes, gauze, and alcohol swabs) if you have a prescription from your doctor. Your drug plan should cover medications and supplies you need to treat your diabetes at home as long as they are on the plan’s formulary. As of January 2023, Part D-covered insulin copays are capped at $35 per month, with no deductible. You should contact your Part D plan for information about its exact costs and coverage rules for insulin. Medical supplies used to inject insulin (syringes, fillable pens, non-durable patch pumps like the Omnipod, gauzes, and alcohol swabs) can be covered by Part D with a prescription, as long as they are on the plan’s formulary. This equipment is not subject to the $35 per month cap and a deductible may apply. The $35 cap applies to the insulin you put into these supplies. If you use an insulin pump, the insulin and the pump may be covered under Part B as DME. Part B covers DME at 80% of the Medicare-approved amount, but as of July 2023, copays for Part B-covered insulin products are capped at $35 per month, with no deductible. If you have questions about Part B’s coverage of insulin and your insulin pump is covered by Medicare’s DME benefit, call 1-800-MEDICARE. - From: Medicare Watch: More Older Adults Fill Insulin Prescriptions Under Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare Rights Center, August 3, 2023.
Medicare Reminder: Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage Plans People with Medicare can get their health coverage through either Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan (also known as a Medicare private health plan or Part C). While there are many differences between the two, remember that Medicare Advantage Plans must provide the same benefits offered by Original Medicare, but may apply different rules, costs, and restrictions. Some of the main differences between these two ways to get your Medicare: Costs
Supplemental insurance
Provider access
Referrals
Drug coverage
Other benefits
Out-of-pocket limit
Between the two options, one is not better than the other for everyone. Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare are just different, and you may prefer one over the other depending on your needs and priorities. Note- if you have Medigap and if you switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, you will lose your Medigap. Depending on your state’s Medigap enrollment rules, it may be difficult or expensive to purchase a Medigap later. There are only a few specific protected times to purchase a Medigap under federal rules, but your state may offer additional rights. To receive individualized counseling on your options, call your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) (SHINE in MA). - From Dear Marci: Should I choose Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare with a Medigap?, Medicare Rights Center, August 28, 2023.
AGs Join Call for Feds to Speed Migrant Work Approvals One week after Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency regarding the migrant crisis, including a call for more expedited federal work authorizations, Attorney General Andrea Campbell and 18 other attorneys general joined in. “The vast majority of new arrivals in recent months – like many who have come before them – want nothing more than an opportunity to work, and many of our businesses are eager to hire additional workers,” Campbell and her counterparts from other states wrote in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. “Many thousands of recent newcomers are eligible for work authorization, but permission to work has been needlessly delayed by inconsistencies in grants of parole and application processing delays.” Campbell and the group of AGs wrote that delays in granting work authorizations to migrants in state shelters are preventing from moving toward self-sufficiency and cycling off of state supports. “A significant portion of the recent migrant population – many of whom are seeking asylum – have been paroled into the country and are therefore immediately eligible for work permits, but processing delays leave too many waiting ten months or more for authorization,” the letter reads. “These delays are placing an increasing burden on states to support families who would be able to support themselves immediately if given the opportunity to do so.” The problem is particularly acute in Massachusetts, the only state in the nation with a “right to shelter” law that requires the state to house certain homeless populations, including families and pregnant women. Some 5,600 families are currently living in Bay State emergency shelters, with about one-third of them being recent arrivals, according to the state. Idiosyncrasies in the system make applying for and renewing work authorizations needlessly inconvenient, the coalition wrote. Those who need to have fees waived cannot apply online, and existing work permits that expired while renewals were underway have cost immigrants their employment. “This is inexcusable,” Campbell and her colleagues wrote. The coalition is asking the Biden administration to expedite employment authorization for those lawfully allowed into a US port of entry, address inconsistent lengths of parole, streamline and automate renewals, and permit online access to work authorizations with fee waivers. At the same time as the state shelter system is buckling under the influx, Massachusetts faces a dire workforce shortage. Business leaders consistently warn that the state economy hangs in the balance and are eager to back policies to help immigrants access Bay State educational and workforce opportunities. The work authorization issue is bringing a degree of unanimity that even extends to conservative voices who are otherwise critical of the Biden administration immigration and border policies. Giving immigrants “the ability to work in the United States will certainly help our state in terms of them not being so reliant on our welfare program,” said Paul Craney, spokesperson for the conservative Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “ - See the full Commonwealth magazine article.
Loss of Nonemergency Ambulance for Disabled People Leaves Many Trapped in Their Homes The way Margery Wilson figures it, if she were a piece of furniture, she would have no problem getting up and down the stairs from her fourth-floor Cambridge condo, because lots of companies would be willing to move her. But Wilson is a 72-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair to get around is trapped. There is no elevator in her building and finding an affordable, accessible home — she is fairly newly disabled — is challenging. Ambulance companies that once carried people up and down stairs to medical appointments largely discontinued the practice during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not resumed. And the patchwork of subsidized and commercial transportation options for people in wheelchairs typically do not help lift or carry patients over house stairs, either. Exactly how many people in Massachusetts are in this precarious situation is not clear, but advocates and ambulance company executives suspect it could be thousands. “There are a lot of problems you aren’t aware of when you can walk,” said Wilson.. Wilson’s predicament is an all-too-familiar one for Diane LeBlanc, a community resource specialist at Mass General Brigham, the state’s largest health system. LeBlanc spends her days trying to help patients find transportation to and from medical care. “I have many stories of people not being able to get to medical appointments due to a few stairs being the barrier,” she said. Before the pandemic, it was fairly routine for ambulance crews to ferry patients in and out of their homes to medical appointments, but it was pricey, LeBlanc said. Private insurance often would not cover it, deeming it nonessential, so patients who could afford it would pay privately, typically $300, one way. “Now, even if patients can pay out of pocket, I just can’t get an ambulance company to do that at all,” LeBlanc said. Many ambulance companies gradually stopped accepting these nonemergency patients as severe staff shortages during the pandemic left the companies scrambling to cover emergency calls. At Brewster Ambulance, Chris DiBona, the company’s chief clinical officer, said staffing shortages, combined with too many patients not paying their bill when insurance denied the expense, forced the company to stop accepting these private-pay ambulance requests about a year ago. “If insurance isn’t covering it, we can’t just absorb this service for free,” he said. Even with public transportation options designed for people in wheelchairs, there is often a considerable gap. Companies will provide door-to-door service, but define that as a person’s outside front door — not the steps leading to it, or to the sidewalk. The MBTA’s paratransit service, the RIDE, specifically prohibits its vendors from allowing drivers to “lift or carry the customer.” And ride services known as MART and GATRA, provided through the state’s MassHealth program for lower-income people, “does not include support within the home,” according to the Executive Office of Health & Human Services. In a statement, the agency said assistance with stairs for wheelchair patients is “offered when possible, but there is a struggle to find vendors with the capacity to provide this service.” - See the full Boston Globe article. Great job illuminating the challenges Diane! |