February 26, 2025
Your Advocacy is Working, but still Needed
The Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) introduced massive IDD system change proposals last fall.
Your Advocacy is Working, but still Needed
The Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) introduced massive IDD system
change proposals last fall. Most were scheduled to begin January 1st of this year. The proposals
included limits on how long someone could be served in a workshop setting (6 months). They
would require non-employment day programs to be community based and only billable when
away from the agency’s center. They are preparing to enforce a separation of clients receiving
both targeted case management services and their HCBS services (Day, Res, PCS) from the same
provider. They are also proposing a new funding structure for the agencies serving your loved
ones. All this occurring as a new assessment tool is launched replacing BASIS with the Medicaid
Functional Evaluation Instrument (MFEI).
Because of the advocacy of our families
and providers these changes have all been delayed with
the intent to improve all of the proposals to better serve those we love. This was only possible
because of the thousands of emails and letters that had been sent to KDADS and our Legislators.
Some changes are definitely needed, but we do not want to see changes that negatively impact
those we serve and their families. To learn more about the proposed changes and for a quick and
easy way to share your thoughts and concerns with your elected officials follow this link:
As we keep a close eye on changes in our State, we are also watching what in happening Federally.
There has been lots of discussion around cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from Medicaid
which is the primary funding source for IDD services. We need our congressman to know and
understand how important these dollars are to serving and supporting those you love. Here is
another easy link to share your concerns… your story. Share Your Story! | ANCOR Federally we are also seeing positive movement on increasing how much someone with Medicaidfunded services could save. The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act—would update SSI’s assetlimits to $10,000 for an individual and $20,000 for a couple, (from $2,000 & $3,000) to ensurethe program’s beneficiaries are able to build modest savings without losing survival income and
health insurance. The legislation would also remedy Congress’s original error, by indexing the
limits to the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W), to ensure they keep pace with inflation moving
forward. There has not been an increase in 50 years.
