WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congresswoman Lois Capps highlighted two key issues pertaining to Medicaid during a hearing entitled “Helping Families with Needed Care: Medicaid’s Critical Role for Americans with Disabilities” before the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee.  At the hearing the Congresswoman questioned several witnesses on the harmful impact of the Bush Administration’s ill-advised regulations that will hinder the ability of local schools to properly serve children covered by Medicaid.  Capps additionally discussed the importance of community based care for Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities and the role played by direct support professionals, who provide that care. 

“I’m worried about the negative impact of the new regulations regarding school-based health services,” said Capps.  “These misguided regulations by the Bush Administration will have a terribly negative effect on students in countless school districts across the country who are able to attend school with their peers because of critical services provided to them by their school district.  Without reimbursement for transportation and administrative costs, school districts will have to scramble for ways to provide special needs children with necessary services.”

Capps’ concerns stemmed from the Bush Administration’s new policies prohibiting the use of federal Medicaid funds to reimburse schools for the transportation and administrative costs associated with providing services to special needs children.  Many local school districts, including schools in the Congresswoman’s district, currently rely on assistance from the federal government to help with the high costs associated with providing specialized services -- such as a special breathing apparatus on a bus for a child with respiratory disabilities or a special attendant for a child with seizure disorders – to children with disabilities. 

Capps also addressed the importance of community based care for Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities and the role played by direct support professionals, who provide that care. 

“We are facing a growing crisis in workforce recruitment and retention for caregivers who provide essential care for Medicaid beneficiaries at the same time we’re seeing an important shift to promoting community based care,” said Capps.  “Medicaid plays a critical role in providing home and community support for patients, yet without a qualified, readily available caregiving workforce many beneficiaries will suffer and indeed are already suffering.  Caregivers are vital to ensuring individuals can live independently, maintain jobs, and participate in community activities but they are often poorly compensated for the difficult work that they do making it difficult to recruit and retain talented caregivers.  That’s why we have to move forward with commonsense solutions to address this serious problem.  My legislation, the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act, takes some important first steps to address this crisis by providing funding for states to increase the wages of direct support professionals who care for disabled Medicaid beneficiaries.”

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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.