The 2011 legislative session in Olympia had mixed results for Washington’s MS community. While the National MS Society successfully pushed important legislation to increase the number of physicians specializing in MS care, many services for people living with MS saw deep cuts. With the help of MS Activists from around the state, we tried hard to stop these cuts as the legislature closed a $5 billion budget shortfall, but it was an uphill battle.
The cuts will reach deep into the MS community, as programs like long-term care, Medicaid, Basic Health, Disability Lifeline, and vocational rehabilitation saw their budgets slashed. Many people with MS rely on these state-funded programs to deal with the negative impacts of MS. As a result of the cuts, fewer people with MS will have health insurance and more people will be under-insured.
Cuts, cuts, cuts…
It is almost impossible to summarize the complete list of cuts that the legislature made, but here are some of the worst:
- Home care hours reduced by an average of 10%
- Elimination of Medicare Part D Rx co-pays for dually eligible clients
- Cuts to physical, occupational, and speech therapy Medicaid benefits
- Loss of eyeglasses and hearing aids for adults on Medicaid
- Frozen admissions to Basic Health keeps the working poor from getting health care
- Cuts in cash benefits for people with disabilities on Disability Lifeline
- Numerous other cuts for the 1289 people with MS on Medicaid (link to document)
If you are interested in learning more about these cuts, listen to this recorded teleconference for details of the legislative session.
In addition...
The National MS Society also monitored legislation improving oversight of the state’s long-term care system and implementing different aspects of the Affordable Care Act. In particular, the legislature made great strides towards lowering the cost of health insurance by passing a bill that sets up the framework for health insurance exchanges – competitive marketplaces where even people with preexisting conditions can purchase affordable health insurance. The legislature also implemented different pieces of the federal health care reform bill into state law, creating new protections for consumers and making it easier to challenge denials from insurers.
The work continues…
Looking ahead to 2012, we will need your help to make sure more cuts are not made that hurt people who live with MS. With so many competing priorities, legislators are faced with difficult choices, but by hearing from you, they can better meet the needs of the MS community. Click here to find out how you can help.