Senator Rick Scott
110 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Scott,
I serve as Chair of the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc. (FDDC). FDDC is a not-for-profit organization established in Florida statute as the designated state agency to represent the nearly 370,000 Floridians living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. We represent people with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other physical and cognitive disabilities. We are established under the federal Developmental Disabilities and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 and funded through the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Our Council members are appointed by the Governor to advise on best practices and policy and create pathways for improved home-and community-based services that impact the lives of Floridians with I/DD.
As an aging disabled Floridian, who has worked most of my life and depends on my aging wife as my primary caregiver, I live every day with the fear of losing the support needed to live at home and in the community. Although we are not directly dependent on Medicaid long-term supports and services, which currently supports over 10% of the I/DD population in Florida, I represent the deep concerns of our constituency who do depend on Medicaid long-term supports and services through Florida’s home- and community-based iBudget waiver program.
Medicaid and Medicare are the lifeline for countless disabled Floridians. Deep Medicaid funding cuts will force Florida to use more state dollars to pay for the cost of Medicaid services that provide critical home- and community-based services for the I/DD population that are not available through standard Medicaid managed care providers or private health insurance companies.
Critical issues to consider are:
- People with I/DD could lose access to essential support services due to reduced funding or enrollment problems. Keeping and maintaining
Medicaid services will be more difficult due to new government rules, like work requirements, that could lead to individuals having to prove their disability every six months. - Over 75% of the 36,000 people on the iBudget Waiver live in their own home or their family home, which is a much less expensive option than costly institutional care.
- Waiting lists for home- and community-based services would become longer leaving thousands without the support they need to live in their homes and communities.
- Providers are already strained, with a national direct support workforce crisis, and could incur further cuts that harm their ability to provide high quality care.
On behalf of the FDDC and the nearly 370,000 Floridians we represent with I/DD, please consider preserving at the federal level the critical funding and support needed to ensure that people with I/DD can access the critical and necessary benefits and services they need through our Medicaid home- and community-based funding.
Thank you for your consideration and support.
Sincerely,
Eddie Hall
Florida Developmental Disabilities Council Chairman