The Long Term Services & Supports Work Group (LTSS) held its kickoff meeting on
July 15th. About 280 people have signed up to be a part of this workgroup!
Co-Chairs for this workgroup are Dr. Lorrie Jones and Grace Hou. This meeting was
to set up the ground rules and to develop a common understanding of the process
and outcomes. We are expected to make our recommendations by January, 2015 or
sooner.
Our role and recommendations are advisory to the Illinois Governor’s Office of
Health Innovation and Transformation, GOHIT, and its Executive Advisory Committee
made up of the various Department Directors.
Dr. Jones shared with the group that the Governor’s Office has already entered into
discussions with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, CMS, on the Illinois Medicaid
Transformation 1115 Waiver. Two meetings have taken place and are being led by
Deputy Governor Cristal Thomas.
The whole process must be consistent with new federal directives such as:
This LTSS Subcommittee with begin its focus on service definitions for the 1115
Waiver, conflict free case management and person centered planning. Laura
McCurdy of Health Care and Family Services will chair this subcommittee. I will be
focusing on conflict free case management and person centered planning. Subject
Matter Experts Steven Lutzky, Ph.D., President of Home & Community Based
Systems: and Gwyn Volk, Health Care Director, Navigant, will participate as
contractual consultants to LTSS.
The 1115 Waiver will combine the nine Home & Community Based Waivers and place
them under the Dept of Health Care & Family Services. The idea is to break down
service silos and build a seamless integrated care system for individuals in the
waivers. These nine waivers have over thirty service definitions, and the development
of common definitions and developing provider qualifications will be no easy task.
My recommendation was that maybe now is the time to create new definitions and new
language that incorporates the changes being proposed by the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid and Employment First.
In the Developmental Disability System, we are well ahead of the other waivers
regarding conflict free case management. My discussions with HFS Staff indicate that
the new Life Choices Project recommendations will satisfy the conflict free case
management requirements. It is clear that the person centered planning process will
change and must be led by the individual receiving services/supports or their
representative. The process will be similar to the process for the development of the
Individual Education Plan in Special Education.
This is going to be an intense and time consuming process and the stakes are high
for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The possibility of major
systems change is before us, but the movement towards managed care also poses
great threats.
You can still register to be on a workgroup or just get notices on the information
being shared by going to this link: GOHIT 1115 Waiver
.
Tony Paulauski Executive Director
The Arc of Illinois
20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209
Frankfort, IL 60423
815-464-1832 (OFFICE)
815-464-1832 (CELL)
Tony@www.thearcofil.org
