CKSN UPDATE for May 15, 2004		ABC for Health, Inc.



IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Case Tip:  Medicaid Income Eligibility Calculations for Self-Employed Families
2. Senator Feingold Listening Session in Milwaukee County
3. Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin Unveils Redesigned Web Site
4. 2002 Family Health Survey Now Online
5. HealthWatch Contacts
6. Suggestions for the Update?  Contact us
7. Happy Birthday, ABC for Health


1. CASE TIP: MEDICAID INCOME ELIGIBILITY CALCUATIONS FOR SELF-EMPLOYED  FAMILIES

Medicaid income eligibility calculations for self-employed families are based on the most recent federal income tax forms.  Usually net profit on Schedule C for businesses, or net profit on Schedule F for farming, is used in the income calculations.  To these figures are added depreciation of business items for Medicaid eligibility at the county level, but not for SSI.

The net profit from the business or farm is divided by twelve, representing the twelve months of the year.  This is considered the monthly income of the self-employed family.  Other self-employed business endeavors may also enter into the monthly income calculations.

The specific monthly wage an adult family member receives from a non-self-employment job is added to the monthly self-employment income mentioned above.  This combination results in the monthly family income that is used for Medicaid income calculations for the specific month the family is seeking Medicaid.

If the federal income tax forms are not completed, then the most recent tax forms are used.  If the federal income tax forms do not reflect the current business situation, a Change of Circumstances may be requested.  A Change of Circumstance requires current expenses and current income. These will then represent the present profit from the business.  This figure will be used in the income calculations for Medicaid eligibility.   Medicaid change forms can be accessed at the following link:
http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/forms/DHCF/HCF10137.pdf

2. SENATOR FEINGOLD LISTENING SESSION IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY

U.S. Senator Russ Feingold will hold a Listening Session in Milwaukee County on Saturday, May 22, 2004.  Senator Feingold has pledged to hold Listening Sessions in all of Wisconsin's 72 counties each year of his six-year term.   The Milwaukee County Listening Session will be held at 8:45 a.m. in Room  S120 in the Student Center at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) -  Milwaukee Campus, 700 West State Street, Milwaukee.   This session will last up to an hour.  It allows you the opportunity to
express your views to the Senator on federal issues such as IDEA, MiCASA,  Family  Opportunity Act, Rehabilitation Act, housing, health care, voting and campaign finance reform.  For more information on federal issues, check the DAWN website on
national disability issues at:  http://www.dawninfo.org/advocacy/national.cfm

More information about Sen. Feingold's listening sessions (in both  English and Spanish) can be found on his web sites:
English: http://feingold.senate.gov/listening/index.html
Spanish: http://feingold.senate.gov/espanol/listening_map_sp.html

3. CHILDREN’S HEALTH ALLIANCE OF WISCONSIN UNVEILS REDESIGNED WEB SITE

Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin’s Web site has a new look and enhanced features. Visit www.chawisconsin.org to learn about the alliance and the children’s health issues it addresses. The site also offers links to other child-health resources. 
Children's Health Alliance of Wisconsin is a statewide advocacy organization working to improve children’s health through coalition building, system change, policy development, program management and education. The alliance's key programs include asthma, childhood obesity, early childhood systems, mental health, oral health, and trauma preparedness.

4. 2002 FAMILY HEALTH SURVEY NOW ONLINE
Preliminary results from the 2002 Family Health Survey were released last fall, but DHFS recently posted the full report.  The additional data contains far more than the usual stats relating to health insurance coverage.  You can find the report on the DHFS website at:  http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/stats/pdf/02fhs.pdf

5. HEALTHWATCH CONTACTS



If you are interested in joining your regional HealthWatch committee, or want more information about their work, please contact the following people:

Southern Region:  Barbara Katz, ABC for Health, Inc., 608.261.6939 ext 207, barbk@safetyweb.org 

Southeastern Region:  Brad Holman, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, 414.266.3189,
bholman@chw.org or Brad Montgomery, 414.449.4777, opwindows@aol.com

Northern Region:  Deb Blackstone, Family Resource Connection, 715.365.8030,
dblacks@shsmh.org

Northeastern Region:  Steve Gerczak, St. Vincent Hospital, 920.433.8154,
sgerczak@stvgb.org

Western Region:  Rose Marsh, Chippewa County Dept of Public Health, 1-800-400-3678, rmarsh@co.chippewa.wi.us


6. SUGGESTIONS OR TIPS FOR THE UPDATE?  CONTACT US!


We need your help to develop content and tips for our CKSN Update. Please let us know about your ideas or success stories.  Email your suggestions to barbk@safetyweb.org 

The CKSN Update is a bi-weekly electronic newsletter of the Covering Kids with Special Needs project that ABC for Health, Inc. is implementing with its partners, the Title V Children with Special Needs Regional Centers and Family Voices – Wisconsin.  If you would like to submit news and information in future CKSN Updates, please send it to the attention of Barbara Katz.  All submissions should be limited to 150 words.

ABC for Health is a Wisconsin-based, nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to linking children and families, particularly those with special health care needs, to health care benefits and services.  ABC for Health’s mission is to provide information, advocacy tools, legal services and expert support needed to obtain, maintain and finance health care coverage and services. 


7. ABC FOR HEALTH IS TEN YEARS OLD!


Save the date!  ABC for Health will celebrate 10 years of advocacy and legal services on Thursday evening October 14, at the Great Hall of the Memorial Union in Madison   Please join us to celebrate our 10th anniversary as Wisconsin’s premier public interest law firm dedicated to helping families secure adequate health care coverage and services!  Watch for more information on this event in the near future.  

Barbara Katz, moderator
Parent Consultant
ABC for Health, Inc.
608.261.6939 ext. 207
barbk@safetyweb.org