“These are the times that try men's souls.” American Founding Father Thomas Paine wrote those famous words in 1776. Those were difficult days. Today’s conversations don’t sound too good either, what with hurricanes smashing our state, the world economy staggering, energy costs rampant, and dire predictions from our leaders.
But I don’t cry in my beer and neither should you. Let’s focus on what CTD and you CAN DO.
Together, we can advocate to reduce the waiting list for community services, to address the crisis in community attendant wages, to work on comprehensive state school reform, to crush the state’s unacceptable offensive practice and waive the claiming of sovereign immunity to the ADA and a variety of other public policy initiatives. CTD already has requests to work on these issues from key legislators.
In working toward these goals, CTD integrates the disability population, its advocates, public officials, businesses that work with people with disabilities and state agencies to find solutions. As a member of CTD, you have a voice. And your membership is a chance for you to support all Texans with disabilities and strengthen the community. Together we can ensure that people with disabilities may live, learn, work, play and participate fully in their community of choice.
We invite you to renew your membership with CTD for 2009. If you are not currently a member, but have been in the past, please join with us in these increasingly critical times for Texans with disabilities. And if your organization has not yet become a member, I invite you to click here and look over the annual report, learn of our work and join the team!
Click here to join on line! Dues are still only $25 for an individual, $30 for a family, $5 for those on a limited income, $100 for local organizations and $200 for state organizations. Businesses wishing to support CTD may check out the levels here. Every member counts to CTD. If you’d prefer to mail a check, please address it to CTD, 316 W. 12th St. #405, Austin, TX 78701.
As we enter the season of giving, please consider CTD. A contribution to CTD can simply be added on line or to your check for dues. Contributions to CTD are deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
That bright line of eligibility has haunted the disability working world for far too long. The story is well known: A person with a disability or chronic condition relies on Medicaid for health care and is faced with a welcome job opportunity; maybe a job offer, maybe going from part-time to full-time, maybe just earning a merit raise.
Sounds good, right?
Yet the risk is scary. You cross the invisible line, making too much money to be eligible for Medicaid and not enough to afford private insurance, meanwhile medical and prescription bills pile up as living with a disability doesn’t come cheap. In short, the job opportunity is welcome but it comes with the disincentive of losing critical health benefits.
But wait…
Medicaid Buy-In beckons “Go to work. Keep Medicaid. It’s a new day!”
Few people are aware that the State of Texas authorized Medicaid Buy-In back in 2005, modernizing the employment services system for people with disabilities. In other words, Texans with disabilities are no longer forced to choose between taking a job and having health care. Medicaid Buy-In allows people of any age who have a disability and are working to receive Medicaid by paying a small monthly premium ($20-$40/month) based on earned income. The premiums for unearned income can be higher, depending on the amount of unearned income.
Why do we hear so little about Medicaid Buy-In? Texas just received the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant. One of the major objectives of that grant is to increase enrollment in the Medicaid Buy-In program to assist people with disabilities as they pursue or maintain employment. We can help with spreading this great news to the disability community.
Those transitioning from high school should especially check this out. The next generation has significant earning potential through Medicaid Buy-In, no longer haunted by that magic number constantly reminding them of how little they must earn to keep their benefits.
Now that we have incentive to move up the career ladder and pursue our dreams, what does Medicaid Buy-In require of us? To be eligible for the Medicaid Buy-In program, you must have a disability (defined by Social Security Administration), a job (earned income), and must meet the financial eligibility requirements for the State of Texas. Those receiving waiver benefits like CBA, CLASS and HCS will soon be eligible. There’s some real encouragement in this program; for example resources set aside as your Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) won’t affect your eligibility. It’s time to TAKE ACTION and find out the details for yourself. Click on http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/MBI.html for information and email Elizabeth Gregowicz of DARS at Elizabeth.Gregowicz@dars.state.tx.us or Bridgette McEntire of HHSC at Bridgette.McEntire@hhsc.state.tx.us.
Boost productivity, inspire your team, and increase your organization’s effectiveness by understanding the underserved, exploding target market of people with disabilities and their families, now over 20% of the population.
Make sure your websites, materials, presentations and more accurately and correctly reflect the current representations of disability! CTD conducts hands-on accessibility and usability testing of websites and other products.
For more information on CTD trainings, see the attached pdf, or click this link.
Texas is working, through a federal grant project called the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG), to improve employment support services for people with disabilities. As part of this effort, The University of Texas School of Social Work (UTSSW) is conducting an on-line consumer employment survey for persons with disabilities. The purpose of this survey is to examine gaps in existing employment support services for people with disabilities and to identify ways that the system might be improved to better meet the employment needs of people with disabilities. The survey should take about 10-15 minutes to complete. Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. All responses are confidential and no identifying information will be collected as part of the survey.
You may complete the survey in either English or Spanish. The links below will take you to a cover letter for the survey. In the cover letter you will find links to the survey along with a password that will allow you to access the survey.
English version: http://webspace.utexas.edu/streeter/www/cvrltrENG.doc