CKSN UPDATE for October 1, 2004                  ABC for Health, Inc.

Meet Russ Feingold!  Senator Feingold has been invited to speak (pending his Senate schedule) at our birthday party on October 14th.  Please support ABC for Health by attending our first ten years of serving Wisconsin families on Thursday, October 14, 2004, at the Great Hall of the Memorial Union on the UW-Madison Campus. 

Our festive evening begins at 5:30 pm with emcee Jonathan Sutton from 105.5 Triple M and will include free beer and soda and a tempting array of hors d'oeuvres; a silent auction with great items to bid on like box seats at the Packer - Viking game at Lambeau Field; entertainment by The Kissers (voted Madison's favorite rock band in the 2002 and 2003 Isthmus poll); and free surprise party gifts for all who attend.  

To order your tickets, or make a contribution online, go to the ABC for Health website (www.abcforhealth.org)   There is a link on our website for you to buy tickets directly through a secure site.  Please RSVP by October 7, 2004. 

We hope to see you there! 

IN THIS ISSUE: 

1.     	Case Tip: Badger Care Coverage
2.	Promoting Acceptance of Children with Disabilities
3.	Foster Youth with Disabilities:  Special Needs for Special Kids
4.	Kids with Asthma Bill of Rights
5.	HealthWatch Updates and Contacts
6.	Suggestions for the Update?  Contact Us!
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1.      CASE TIP:  BADGER 	CARE COVERAGE:  STRANGE BUT TRUE…REDUCING YOUR WORK HOURS COULD GAIN ELIGIBILITY AND HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR YOUR FAMILY

Sally works as an assistant manager at a local restaurant that pays 85% of the premium for full time employees and dependents. Sally has coverage but cannot afford to continue to pay for her husband Rubin and her three children.  Her middle child has severe asthma.  Rubin works construction as a laborer and the combined income puts the family above the limits for Medicaid and Badgercare.

Besides too much income, another obstacle to BadgerCare for the whole family is the fact that Sally already has a health insurance plan.  Sally cannot get BadgerCare at this point because she has private insurance where the employer pays more that 80% of the premium. 

What can Sally and Rubin do to secure coverage for her whole family? 

Sally and or Rubin could voluntarily reduce there hours at work to the point where she is not eligible for health insurance and the family income drops to below 185% of the FPL. ($3,396/month for a family of five)  Sally’s voluntary reduction in hours is considered a good cause reason for losing health insurance. There is not a three-month waiting period to get on BadgerCare if you lose your previous coverage for a good cause reason.   Good cause reasons include both voluntarily or involuntarily reductions in your work hours.  The family will have to pay premiums for BadgerCare based on 5% of family income if it is over 150% of the FPL.

However good cause would not be met if Sally quit her job voluntarily and lost her employer -sponsored health insurance as a result. Normally if Sally quits outright she would have to wait three months for BadgerCare eligibility. Keep in mind that there are always exceptions and multiple other Medicaid eligibility paths for children that do not have a three-month wait, so this rule primarily affects parents.   For additional information, go to: http://www.emhandbooks.wi.gov/meh/ 

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2. PROMOTING ACCEPTANCE OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

If you are concerned about ensuring that your child with disabilities will be accepted by classmates, PACER Center has an article with lots of practical suggestions. Telling Classmates About Your Child's Disabilities May Foster Acceptance suggests a variety of ways to work with your child's school to foster a positive atmosphere. Find it on PACER's Web site:  http://www.pacer.org/articles/pacesetter/sep04.htm

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3. FOSTER YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES:  SPECIAL NEEDS FOR SPECIAL KIDS
Oregon Health and Science University’s Center for Self Determination covers the special needs of foster youth with disabilities in two new reports: “Are We Ignoring Foster Youth With Disabilities?: An Awareness Document for Parents, Professionals and Youth” and “Transition Planning for Foster Youth with Disabilities: Are We Falling Short?” http://www.selfdeterminationohsu.org/education/foster/research.html
4. KIDS WITH ASTHMA BILLOF RIGHTS
There are more than six million children with asthma in the United States – and many end up in the emergency room each year. The American Lung Association says it doesn’t have to be this way. From strict enforcement of clean air requirements and ensuring access to effective, affordable medications to playing sports with a doctor’s agreement and recognizing “asthma triggers,” there is a lot that can help kids with asthma lead healthy, active lives. http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=186670

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5. HEALTH WATCH UPDATES AND 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

"Working with Children with Special Health Care Needs" Conference – Thursday, October 7, from 8:30-4:00pm @ Country Inn – Waukesha, WI. Target audience is contracted agencies with the SE CSHCN Regional Center, CPLs, Public Health and Social Service Agencies.  Contact the SE CSHCN Regional Center @ 800-234-5437 for more information.

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 

“Bridging the Gap:  What Can Providers Do to Enhance Communication with LEP (Limited English Proficient) Patients?”  Thursday, October 14, 2004, 9 am – 11 am, Bosco Hall, Green Bay Catholic Diocese, 1825 Riverside Drive, Green Bay, WI.  Please RSVP to Steve Gerczak

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

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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.
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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. 


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