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* Because of all the hoo-rah over the AFSCME bill yesterday, an important news item was all but completely missed.
Six House Republicans (Batinick, Bryant, Jesiel, Hammond, McAuliffe, Unes) broke ranks with Gov. Bruce Rauner and their party leadership to help pass HB2482, which blocks the governor’s attempt to change the determination of need scores for a whole host of programs, including the Community Care Program, the Home Services Program, the supportive living facilities program, and the nursing home prescreening project. Also in the legislation…
Provides that the State shall not implement an updated assessment tool that causes more than 1% of then-current recipients to lose eligibility; and that anyone determined to be ineligible for services due to the updated assessment tool shall continue to be eligible for services for at least one year following that determination and must be reassessed no earlier than 11 months after that determination… Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that no individual receiving care in an institutional setting shall be involuntarily discharged as the result of the updated assessment tool until a transition plan has been developed by the Department on Aging or its designee and all care identified in the transition plan is available to the resident immediately upon discharge.
* Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) issued this press release yesterday…
“We cannot in good conscience change the eligibility standards for our citizens who rely on daily essential services. Keeping the eligibility score at 29 will allow Illinoisans to stay in their homes and receive minimal care instead of forcing people into costly nursing home facilities.
This bill protects 24,000 adults in the Community Care Program and 10,000 persons with disabilities in the Home Services Program by allowing them to keep their care. I applaud its passage and I look forward to its ultimate signing into law.”
Through the safeguards created by this prospective law, service recipients are protected should the eligibility tool change or a new tool be implemented to determine need, which will allow for a gradual transition and less disruption of services.
The legislation has passed both Houses and now moves to the governor’s desk.
* From SEIU…
“This vote provides necessary protections to seniors and people with disabilities who were being forced by the Rauner administration into long-term care or nursing homes and placed in positions that threatened their health and welfare. Kicking 34,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities to the curb was downright cruel. And it was shameless for the Rauner administration to do so administratively when they knew they could not possibly achieve this end through proper legislative channels.
“It’s a shame that this vote was needed in the first place and hopefully serves as a lesson that, in bipartisan fashion, the people of Illinois are not prepared to sacrifice the welfare of our most vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities to a cheap and unprincipled political agenda.”
The governor’s office declined comment this morning.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:23 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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Batinick (R - Oswego)
(Small smile)
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:31 am
Talk about “getting lost in the shuffle”. I guess they’re not all sheep all the time.
Comment by A guy Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:34 am
“No, the governor will not filet or destroy you on THIS vote, but… keep in mind, Governor Rauner told me if you don’t behave, I have to take you out myself.” - Leader Durkin
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:37 am
This issue nearly identical to what’s happening with childcare. How can get Republicans to put the child care bill in this context? There is still hope.
Comment by sideline watcher Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:41 am
OW-( fist to palm and bow martial art salute )
Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:43 am
The 34,000 low-income seniors mentioned are certainly need assistance but, not all of them. Many have may have wasted a life time of not saving a few earned dollars, never kicked their nasty habits or lived a vicarious life style and now need financial assistance from those who did. So, let the liberals jump in and say what they need to say so they’ll feel good about themselves helping those who they think caint help themselves. For me, taxes are too high so, stop punishing those of us who took care of business
Comment by St. Ambrose Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:43 am
St Ambrose-
Totally uncalled for. Go back to bed and try again.
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:48 am
Great, terrific. Where’s the money to pay for it? Ah, another logical question unanswered.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:49 am
St. Ambrose
Given your comments please drop the “St.” Calling yourself saint is inappropriate and incongruent.
Comment by Old and In the Way Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:50 am
“[St.]Ambrose considered the poor not a distinct group of outsiders, but a part of the united, solidary people. Giving to the poor was not to be considered an act of generosity towards the fringes of society but as a repayment of resources that God had originally bestowed on everyone equally and that the rich had usurped”
Comment by G'Kar Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:51 am
@St Ambrose 11:43am
Spoken like a true Saint.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:52 am
St A– sounds like your eligibility test based on purity and thrift could be worse than rauners change
Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:54 am
Anonymous-
So what is your short term solution? Kick ‘em out, after all winter’s comin’. The cold temps will solve the problems. They are people only burdens to society. Right??
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:54 am
St. Ambrose
Dude, I am one of the few who defends the governor here and I think that statement was more than a bit much.
If ‘it sucks to be you’ is going to be our attitude for the truly disadvantaged and disabled we need to take a long hard look at ourselves.
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:54 am
Aren’t not are.
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:55 am
Evidently this wasn’t one of the votes that will lead to “… problems.” Obviously a lower administration priority.
Comment by Norseman Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:56 am
Doesnt rauner still want to cut health insurance for 20,000 home health care workers, as if they were well paid contractual employees?
Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:59 am
St. A, you seriously overshot the runway there. Rethink that one.
Comment by A guy Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:04 pm
guess durkin didnt threaten on this one hard enough
Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:06 pm
St. Ambrose, Not everyone has a family member they can move in with. Not every family has a spare bedroom.
I’ve seen marriages crumble, because a husband or wife took in their developmentally disabled sibling and their spouse wanted none of it after a trial run. That tends to result in the developmentally disabled sibling being deposited at the state’s door for an emergency placement, unless some help is given in the home immediately.
Walk a mile in another person’s moccasins. Substitute mother-in-law for sibling and elderly for developmentally disabled and you have the same problem that is a lot more expensive to deal with if the state has to take over completely.
Comment by Aldyth Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:07 pm
Quit withe the criticism of St. Ambrose already. He is merely reciting the views of the Rauner Administration.
Just a dose of reality.
Comment by Austin Blvd Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:09 pm
St. Ambrose = St. Arduin
Comment by Stop Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:11 pm
Thanks to those six for caring more about people than caucuses.
Comment by Archiesmom Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:24 pm
SA, thank you for explaining what Gov. Rauner told the great majority of the House GOP that they believe.
Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:26 pm
Another pearl of snideness from Sling. That’s not the least bit true. But it is jerky.
Comment by A guy Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:28 pm
OneMan is an example of why liberals should resist the impulse to hate their ideological opponents.
St. Ambrose is an example of why we are tempted to do so.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:29 pm
Guy, the truth is revealed in the roll call.
Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:34 pm
Good and thank you, with everything going on, I did indeed miss this piece of good news.
Comment by burbanite Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:35 pm
@ St. Ambrose — since you take a religious nickname, you may be interested in this:
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
– Matthew 37-46.
Comment by olddog Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 12:54 pm
Saint Ambrose more like Saint Troll, responding to his/her comment is just adding fuel to the fire. Carry on
Comment by Almost the Weekend Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 1:01 pm
Let’s build a wall and keep those people out!
Comment by Buzzie Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 1:15 pm
==- St. Ambrose - Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 11:43 am:
stop punishing those of us who took care of business==
Your exactly the type of Republican who is falling for the rhetoric of the uber rich of the world.
Comment by Liberty Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 1:27 pm
Excellent…not everyone quakes in their boots to Bruce and his money…
Comment by Loop Lady Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 1:53 pm
But if the governor vetoes it, how many of these R’s will support an override?
Comment by Tournaround Agenda Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 2:07 pm
Which newspaper was that article in? Was it reported in sj-r.com?
Comment by Mama Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 2:09 pm
“Six House Republicans (Batinick, Bryant, Jesiel, Hammond, McAuliffe, Unes) broke ranks with Gov. Bruce Rauner and their party leadership to help pass HB2482, which blocks the governor’s attempt to change the determination of need scores for a whole host of programs,”
I want to say thank you to R-Representatives Batinick, Bryant, Jesiel, Hammond, McAuliffe, Unes for having a heart & voting for what is right.
Comment by Mama Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 2:14 pm
The WORDS of ST AMBROSE: “Would not the Lord say to us: ‘Why have you let so many needy perish of hunger? Since you had gold, you should provide for their needs’…Could we say: ‘I feared to leave the temple of God without ornament.’ But that which can’t be bought with gold does not take its value from gold. The best way to use the gold of the Redeemer is for the redemption of those in peril.”
Ambrose always was more concerned for the poor than for power. He often reproached the wealthy for ignoring the poor: “God created the universe in such a manner that all in common might derive their food from it, and that the earth should also be a property common to all. Why do you reject one who has the same rights over nature as you? It is not from your own goods that you give to the beggar; it is a portion of his own that you are restoring to him. The earth belongs to all. So you are paying back a debt and think you are making a gift to which you are not bound.”
Comment by Not an Arian Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 3:16 pm
That’s the problem in all of these related issues.
St. Ambrose has made some very valid points. If one does not see that they have been living in an alternative universe.
On the other hand, St. Ambrose is quite sweeping in his negative judgment of programs that should be in existence.
Unfortunately a rational discussion of such issues seems impossible.
Comment by Fedralist Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 4:01 pm
Because Ambrose started with such an extreme post any valid point he may have been trying to make is lost. That is the problem with operating in the extreme.
Comment by burbanite Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 4:25 pm
- Mama - @ 2:09 pm:
== Which newspaper was that article in? Was it reported in sj-r.com? ==
Maybe this article was only in Capitolfax.
Thanks You!
Comment by Enviro Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 5:37 pm
I think it’s worth noting that the two major bills passing with bipartisan efforts yesterday (HB1 & HB2482) were also the bills which attracted the most citizen traffic to the dome. Did you hear the cheering from the gallery? HB2482 will be vetoed by the governor, and these six Republicans will have a chance to backpeddle on the override bill. Will citizens continue to show up to watch sausage being made at the sausage factory? I think they will.
Comment by Dome Gnome Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 7:40 pm
On thing to keep in mind, HFS has already submitted paperwork to CMS that reflects the new eligibility requirements. Will CMS approve the administration’s submission or hold off? And if they approve the changes, will they be implemented before 2482 goes through the inevitable veto and override process?
Comment by Chicago Hack Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 9:04 pm
The Feds have an office in a Chicago, they won’t be oblivious to this bill going forward.
Hoorah, jumping from 29 to 37 was a huge jump upwards. It also would have impacted who could get INTO nursing homes. Same DON tool used for them too. What would happen to people who would be kept out of or no longer be eligible for nursing homes?
Comment by Gobsmacked Thursday, Sep 3, 15 @ 9:47 pm