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PAAT PROGRAMS
AT-Related Sessions at National Disability Rights Network's Annual Conference: June 6-9, 2011, Baltimore, MD
Monday, June 6th,
"Ensuring Effective Transition to Integrated Employment" (all day
institute) (covers special education, vocational rehabilitation (VR),
Social Security/SSI/Medicare/Medicaid work incentives, myriad of
employment related issues, with funding of AT devices and services
discussed repeatedly. Speakers: Ron Hager, Cheryl Bates-Harris, Amy Scherer of NDRN; Jim Sheldon of National AT Advocacy Project.
Tuesday, June 7th,
8:30 to 10:00, "Non-Traditional Funding of AT" (strategies to establish
eligibility for traditional funding sources and use of other funding
sources/funding strategies to fund AT). Speaker: Jim Sheldon.
Wednesday, June 8th, 3:30 to 5:00, "VR and AT: Vehicle Modifications." Speakers: Dan Dubay, DORS Adaptive Driving Services and Tom Laverty, CAP Director, Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services.
Thursday, June 9th, 12:15 to 1:15 (lunch time round table), "Doing PAAT Work in the 21st
Century" (bring your cases/issues to this informal meeting; will
discuss: when a case is a PAAT case; how AT devices/services are
defined; what other PAAT programs are doing). Moderator: Jim Sheldon.
Thursday, June 9th, 3:30 to 5:00, "Medicaid and AT: Turning a 'No' Into a 'Yes.'" Speaker: Jim Sheldon.
Other Upcoming Training:
June 10th, Annual Vermont Legal Aid's "College" for its Statewide Staff
Jim Sheldon will do two sessions: "Medicaid and AT: Turning a 'No' into a 'Yes.'" and "Social Security/SSI Work Incentives: A Focus on SSDI, Substantial Gainful Activity Rule and Appeals."
Save the Date
15th Annual "Bridges to Better Advocacy" Conference- November 1-3, 2011, Hilton Garden Inn, Austin, TX
Three-day conference focusing on AT funding and advocacy strategies.
Agenda, speakers now final. Early bird registration available in June.
November 1st Preconference (full day): "Medicaid,
AT and Litigation" (focus on state and federal court) (Speakers: Jane
Perkins, National Health Law Program, Jennifer Giesen, Minnesota
P&A, Lew Golinker, AT Law Center, Jim Sheldon and Diana Straube, National AT Advocacy Project).
Two-Day Conference Highlights: "Medicaid Challenges for 2012," "Americans with Disabilities Act and Employment: Recent Case Law," "Mobility Equipment: A Physical Therapist's Perspective," "Confronting Challenges of Dual Eligibility in Medicaid DME Cases," and "Enforcing the Fair Housing Act to Obtain AT."
Publications
The "AT Advocate" Newsletter: This longstanding publication of the National AT Advocacy Project is published a minimum of three times per year. Our most recent newsletters and lead articles:
Fall 2010, "Consumer Rights in the Medicaid Process: Understanding and Protecting those Rights Should Ensure More Access to Assistive Technology," available at http://www.nls.org/av/fall%2010.pdf
Spring-Summer 2010, "Practical Ethics for the Disability Attorney: When Can You Interview the Employees of Your Adversary?"; available at http://www.nls.org/av/summer%2010.pdf
Coming Up: "Special Medicaid Eligibility Rules for Persons with Disabilities" (Winter-Spring 2011)
Did You Know? Series
This is a series of the National AT Advocacy Project started January 2011.
The intention is to provide important information in small chunks. Because
these are designed to be very short, the postings may not cover every
possible issue; rather, the intention is make the reader aware/remind
the reader of key information to support your AT advocacy.
To date we have done 12 postings, all available at http://www.nls.org/did%20you%20know.htm. Our most recent four postings:
"Medicaid Funding of Ramps," available at http://www.nls.org/did%20you%20know/medicaid%20funding%20of%20ramps.pdf
"Medicaid Notice Requirements," available at http://www.nls.org/did%20you%20know/medicaid%20notice%20requirements.pdf
"State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies and Financial Need Criteria," available at http://www.nls.org/did%20you%20know/VR%20and%20financial%20need.pdf
"AT Can Play an Important Role in Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities in School," available at http://www.nls.org/did%20you%20know/students%20with%20disabilities.pdf
Coming Soon: "Workers Compensation as a Funding Source for AT"
Recent TA
Although
wheelchairs tend to be the most common equipment that comes up in PAAT
program caseloads, AT advocacy is about more than wheelchairs. Recently,
an attorney called us because they faced the challenge of a Medicaid
Managed Care Organization that was asked to fund bed rails that are less
than full length. Typically, bed rails are prescribed to keep an individual from falling out of bed. By contrast, in this case the bed rails were prescribed to aid the individual in safely getting out of bed. Diana
Straube discussed with this PAAT attorney the results of her research
into HCPCS codes, the fact that Medicare covers the shorter length rails
as a rental item, and the medical necessity justification that would be
needed for a favorable decision.
Recent Training
On April 27th, Diana Straube presented at the pre-conference of the 8th Annual Assistive Technology Expo, held in Fargo, North Dakota. Her
presentation was an all-day preconference, "AT Funding through the
Ages," and covered a range of funding sources for children and adults. Organizers
of the Expo included IPAT (Interagency Program of Assistive
Technology), ND Protection and Advocacy, Connections of Moorhead, Inc.,
and Fraser, Ltd. Diana's presentation is highlighted in the IPAT newsletter at http://www.ndipat.org/uploads/newsletter/136/nl---may-2011.pdf. | 