- Hawaii cuts result in 10% fewer families taking preschool aid, By Mary Vorsino, June 2, 2010, Honolulu Advertiser: “The number of families receiving state subsidies to cover preschool tuition costs has dropped by about 10 percent after the state’s decision to decrease the amount of help families can get, and providers say parents appear to instead be opting for cheaper, unlicensed care or leaving their children with relatives. The subsidies, which cover a portion of childcare costs, are provided on a sliding scale based on income. In certain cases the reduction in subsidies meant parents who were paying $120 a month for one child’s care now have to pay $540. Providers also say they’re expecting more decreases in families getting subsidies, which were cut in February, as programs set up to help residents tackle the new financial stresses of lower subsidies end or run out of money…”
- Fewer parents eligible for child care subsidies, By Meredith Moss, May 29, 2010, Dayton Daily News: “To earn more money to support her family, 22-year-old Clarrissa Moore took on a second job. That decision turned out to be a disastrous one for the Dayton mother and her 3-year-old son, Jaiden. Not only did the extra job put her over the limit for child care help, but it was simply too exhausting. By the time she resigned, and then reapplied for the child care subsidies she needed, she was turned down. The state income requirements had changed and Moore was no longer eligible. Moore is just one example of Ohioans being impacted by state budget cuts that took effect in July 2009…”
Tag: Hawaii
Medicaid and Managed Care – Hawaii
Hawaii’s Medicaid switch produces mixed results, By Mary Vorsino, May 24, 2010, Honolulu Advertiser: “Fifteen months after the state switched its Medicaid insurance program for more than 42,000 low-income seniors and disabled residents from a fee-for-service model to a managed care one, advocates say two firms hired to administer the program have improved services and beefed up provider networks. But some point to cases involving patients who have seen cuts in care or who have struggled to navigate the Mainland-based plans because of language barriers or other reasons as continued areas of concern. New statistics on the Quest Expanded Access program illustrate that mixed bag. The numbers show both insurance companies – ‘Ohana Health Plan and Evercare – have decreased the average processing time for claims, from a high of 22 days to about 10, and increased the number of participating specialists…”
Application Process and Delivery of Benefits – Hawaii
- Backlogs for aid may grow, By Mary Vorsino, May 6, 2010, Honolulu Advertiser: “The state has abandoned a controversial cost-cutting and modernization plan for benefits eligibility offices, a plan that included laying off 228 workers. But officials warned that without the changes, big backlogs for food stamps, cash aid and other applications will continue to grow. The state could also face federal penalties for failing to process applications in a timely way, Department of Human Services director Lillian Koller said yesterday…”
- Override vote ends plan to close welfare offices, By Mark Niesse (AP), May 6, 2010, Honolulu Star Bulletin: “The state Department of Human Services has called off a plan to close all the state’s welfare eligibility offices and lay off 228 public employees. A law passed by the Legislature last week stopped the state from moving forward with the proposal to close the state’s 31 welfare locations and replace them with two new processing centers in Honolulu and Hilo, said Human Services Director Lillian Koller. Republican Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed the law, but the Democrat-controlled Legislature’s override prevented welfare office closures on the neighbor islands and required public hearings before they could be consolidated on Oahu…”