If you have an elderly or disabled member of your family or circle of friends, you may have heard of the Family Care program. It is a program designed to try to keep people in their homes and out of nursing homes. Funded through county, state, and federal money, we draw money down from the federal government when we provide these services because it saves taxpayers money when people can stay in their homes and out of expensive nursing homes.
Caring for the elderly and disabled is not just a choice; it is the right thing to do and our responsibility. As long as possible, people should be able to live in the comfort of their own home. Family Care is a big part of that plan.
Gov. Walker's 2011-2013 biennial budget included a cap on Family Care. Even when the budget was being debated, Republicans and the governor knew they could not legally cap Family Care without permission from the federal government, which pays the lion's share of the program funds. The cap was backdated to those individuals not yet enrolled by July 1, 2011.
Well, that cap has been prohibited by Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), the federal decision-maker for medical assistance. Wisconsin filed for a waiver to give the state the right to cap enrollment; CMS has not yet decided what to do about that waiver. They have, however, told Wisconsin they are breaking their agreement with the federal government currently and we must immediately enroll people in this state who are waiting for services. According to CMS, Wisconsin cannot assume we will get a waiver to cap the program and even if Wisconsin does get the waiver, it will not go into effect until it is approved.
Our population is aging. We need to come up with good solutions for their care. As taxpayers their whole lives, senior citizens in our communities deserve care and dignity. I am glad that the cap has been lifted and that the thousands of people waiting for services can begin to receive them. I will continue to support access to services, and the ability for people to remain in their own homes as long as possible. Smart programs like Family Care and Senior Care not only provide dignity but also save taxpayers money.
If you have questions about Wisconsin's Family Care program, please contact my office at (608) 266-6670 or (888) 549-0027 or via e-mail at sen.erpenbach@legis.wi.gov.
- Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, represents the 27th Senate district. He can be reached at (888) 549-0027 or (608) 266-6670 or via e-mail at sen.erpenbach@legis.wi.gov.
Caring for the elderly and disabled is not just a choice; it is the right thing to do and our responsibility. As long as possible, people should be able to live in the comfort of their own home. Family Care is a big part of that plan.
Gov. Walker's 2011-2013 biennial budget included a cap on Family Care. Even when the budget was being debated, Republicans and the governor knew they could not legally cap Family Care without permission from the federal government, which pays the lion's share of the program funds. The cap was backdated to those individuals not yet enrolled by July 1, 2011.
Well, that cap has been prohibited by Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), the federal decision-maker for medical assistance. Wisconsin filed for a waiver to give the state the right to cap enrollment; CMS has not yet decided what to do about that waiver. They have, however, told Wisconsin they are breaking their agreement with the federal government currently and we must immediately enroll people in this state who are waiting for services. According to CMS, Wisconsin cannot assume we will get a waiver to cap the program and even if Wisconsin does get the waiver, it will not go into effect until it is approved.
Our population is aging. We need to come up with good solutions for their care. As taxpayers their whole lives, senior citizens in our communities deserve care and dignity. I am glad that the cap has been lifted and that the thousands of people waiting for services can begin to receive them. I will continue to support access to services, and the ability for people to remain in their own homes as long as possible. Smart programs like Family Care and Senior Care not only provide dignity but also save taxpayers money.
If you have questions about Wisconsin's Family Care program, please contact my office at (608) 266-6670 or (888) 549-0027 or via e-mail at sen.erpenbach@legis.wi.gov.
- Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, represents the 27th Senate district. He can be reached at (888) 549-0027 or (608) 266-6670 or via e-mail at sen.erpenbach@legis.wi.gov.
