In-person Meeting

Medicaid turns 50 this year, and in that time, it has grown to cover nearly 70 million Americans and become a key source of financing for safety net hospitals and health centers, as well as the main source of coverage and financing of long-term care. The program continues to be a focus of policy debate and partisan differences.

An oversight hearing regarding the nation's aging and disabled communities will be held by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations. Witnesses will include Carolyn W. Colvin, Social Security Acting Commissioner, and Kathy Greenlee of the Administration for Community Living.

A two-day national training for health and human service personnel, care providers and family caregivers who care for aging individuals with intellectual or developmentaldisabilities. The training will take place in Hollywood, Florida. Registration is $250 per person, and early resigtration (by February 28) is discounted by 10%. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided on both days.

Additional event details are forthcoming.

The Social Security Administration's (SSA's) Benefit Offset National Demonstration (BOND) is testing an innovation that allows Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries to earn more while keeping part of their disability benefits. The earnings rules being tested replaced the "benefit cliff"—the complete loss of benefits when earnings exceed a maximum amount for a sufficient period—with a "benefit ramp" that reduces benefits by $1 for every $2 of earnings over the limit. Beneficiary enrollment in BOND began in 2011, and the demonstration will continue into 2017.

Wings for Autism is coming to Baltimore–Washington International Airport!

The Arc Baltimore and Southwest Airlines are teaming up for a Wings for Autism event on December 6, 2014 at Baltimore–Washington International Airport.

Date: Saturday, December 6, 2014
Time: 10:30 am, boarding at 1:15 pm

Registration is full. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Bell (KBell@thearcbaltimore.org or 410-296-2272).

This meeting will look at Advancing Excellence tools as a core base, with QAPI as the framework for assessing quality care. In addition, the event will also look to develop the person-centered culture of safety that providers, residents and families look for in skilled care.

The purpose of the C. Colburn Hardy Older Advocate Award is to recognize volunteer leadership in programs for older Americans, with an emphasis on statewide advocacy for older persons. The award has been given annually to a year round Florida resident who has consistently made significant contributions to policies or programs and services for older Americans in the State of Florida.

The Training Institute will train organizations to form Self-Directed Volunteer Teams™, using a research-based framework. These volunteers carry out projects that extend the capacity to serve older adults.

The training will be on the nature and importance of Fees-for-Service. By the end of this training, participants will gain the skills and knowledge to be able to: Know where to begin establishing contracts for fees-for-service, Identify agencies and businesses that may purchase fee-based services, Balance your role as advocate with being a contractor, Prepare for common pitfalls and how to rebound if they occur, Become a vendor, including application, referrals, billing, reporting, and much more.

The Center for Medicare Advocacy is holding its 1st Annual National Voices of Medicare Summit and Senator Jay Rockefeller Lecture on March 21, 2014, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Washington, DC. The summit will connect leading experts and advocates to discuss best practices, challenges and successes in efforts to improve health care, long term services and supports, and quality of life for older people and people with disabilities.