- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): The federal LIHEAP provides assistance paying for home heating for people of all ages, including many elders whose household income does not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
The Governor’s FY ’16 budget cut LIHEAP by $6 million from last year’s appropriation for FY ‘15. Currently the House Appropriations Committee is making determinations about the FY 16 budget and this issue has not been decided at this time. We’ve worked with other LIHEAP advocates to ask that the money be restored, although given the budget situation and the Governor’s commitment to revisit this issue in the FY 16 Budget Adjustment, it is a tough argument to make. There had been some talk of reducing eligibility, but that issues seems to have been taken off the table at this point. COVE will continue to advocate for full restoration of the $6 million dollars through the House and Senate appropriations process.
- Choices for Care (CFC): CFC is Vermont’s long-term care (LTC) program for low-to moderate-income elders and adults with disabilities. It provides for both nursing home and home-and community-based care for those with financial and clinical needs for the same. The program has been very successful in giving Vermonters a choice as to where to receive services and in saving the state significant dollars. The biggest problem CFC has repeatedly encountered is how to use those savings - whether to reinvest the savings in an improved home and community based services program, as required by the Federal waiver, or to offset other pressures and priorities in the state budget.
The Choices for Care (CFC) program continues to be an issue of discussion among the House Appropriations committee. We continue to advocate with partners for a restoration of grants to Adult Days and case management in residential care. The appropriations committee has discussed the balance between the proposed increases to nursing homes with cuts to Home and Community Based Services, although it should be noted that there is a proposed increase for Home Health Agencies. House Appropriations will continue to struggle with this balance. There is also a concern about the funding for Moderate Needs as we approach the end of the increased funding from two years ago. We will work with partners to ensure that the Moderate Needs funding is continued at the increased level with whatever savings is available at the end of FY 15.
- S.5 Observation Status: This is an important issue, as seniors are often put on such status instead of being admitted as inpatients, resulting in the hospital stay being covered differently and an inability to access important Medicare funds to be used for care following their release from the hospital. COVE supports this bill. The language in S.5 is currently included in the Senate Health and Welfare health care bill and is supported strongly by the committee. This would be a good step forward for elders and consumers of health care who receive care in hospitals.
- H.110 Jury duty for elders: This bill would allow elders 70 and over to opt out of jury duty. It appears to send a message that elders are somehow less capable than younger Vermonters, and at our last board meeting, several board members expressed strong opposition for that reason. It could be interpreted as bestowing a benefit on elders as well, but sentiment on the COVE board was clearly disapproval. To date this bill has not moved and given that crossover is March 13, it seems unlikely H.110 will move this session.
- H.46 Adult Fatality Review Team: The House Human Services committee took testimony on this bill from a variety of stake holders including the AG’s office, Commissioner Wehry and the Medical Examiner’s office. The Committee seems interested in working on this bill and we will continue to monitor it.
- H.131 and H.112 APS: There are two bills that address concerns related to Adult Protective Services. H.112 makes it easier to investigate allegations of financial abuse of vulnerable adults, a concept that COVE has supported in the past. H.112 has received a hearing in the House Human Services committee and is currently pending further action in the committee.
H.131 provides greater protections for abusers of vulnerable adults, including greater transparency about the nature of the charge, an attorney for the alleged abuser, and other protections. COVE opposes this bill. To date the bill has not been taken up and it seems likely that it will remain on the wall this year, but we will continue to monitor it closely.
- H.25 Natural Burial Grounds: COVE has lobbied in support of H.25, a bill that would expand access to natural burial grounds in Vermont. This would allow a lower cost option for people who want to be buried in a natural setting. The bill passed out of committee unanimously and is currently headed to the House floor. COVE will continue to monitor H.25 as it moves to the House floor and then to the Senate.
- S.38 Long Term Care Task Force: COVE strongly supports this bill, which would establish a long term care task force to assess and catalogue LTC services provided by or funded by the state. This task force is a fantastic opportunity to establish a body that can raise the level of discussion of LTC issues in Vermont. We are attempting to get the bill added to Senate Health and Welfare’s Health Care bill, although it is not in the current draft.
