 On Tuesday, Illinois House and Senate committees on Medicaid reform
heard consultant John Stephen recommend the state move those
individuals into community-based settings. As of 2009, Illinois
ranked first in the nation in institutionalization, outpacing other
high-population states such as Texas, New Jersey and California,
Stephen said."It's all about rebalancing long-term care," said
Stephen, who served as New Hampshire's commissioner of health and
human services before joining the Boston-based Lucas Group.
As co-chair of the House committee, state Rep. Patti Bellock,
R-Westmont, told Stephen he was preaching to the choir.
"We know we're 51st in the nation on this issue," she said.
Stephen also cited statistics from the Kaiser Family Foundation
showing that Illinois currently spends $18,387 annually on caring
for disabled individuals, while the national average stands at
$14,481.
The concept of community-based care -- or "money following the
person" -- is popular among both federal and state lawmakers since
it's usually less expensive than institutional care. Additionally,
disabled individuals are generally offered more freedom in
community-based settings, in accordance with the 1999 U.S. Supreme
Court Olmstead decision calling for the disabled to live in the
least restrictive setting.
But the "rebalancing" is easier said than done. Families of
disabled individuals often resist moving them, Stephens said,
because of the influence of caretakers who don't want to lose their
jobs.
"The families work closely with the people who take care of their
loved ones," Stephens said.
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A spokeswoman for the American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees said the individual's care is the issue.
"The state centers provide intensive, around-the-clock care that
the smaller homes can't," said Anne Irving, AFSCME Council 31
director of public policy.
Politics has already reared its head regarding the closure of any
state institutions. Gov. Pat Quinn has agreed to no layoffs and no
state facility closures through June 30, 2012, in return for $100
million in state budget savings offered by AFSCME.
However, committee co-chair state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie,
D-Chicago, said that any move toward de-institutionalization must
have the community support and resources to back it up.
"I think the issue for us is making sure the infrastructure is
there," Currie said.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By MARY MASSINGALE]
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