Chicago September 13, 2013: Physicians, Activists, Clients Coming Together To Take Action on Medicaid and Maximus Pvt Contract

FYI and post or tell clients, persons who are disabled, seniors, young people, relatives, friends, physicians, therapists, church members, club members,  healthcare advocates 

Services by Maximus Have Not Improved Human Services in Illinois

We can't leave behind those who are not green and do not have healthcare, or stop fighting because our next door neighbor and doctors can't or won't  IMPRUVE takes pride in marching annually and being supported by our non-disabled peers in our advocacy work on behalf of Persons who are disabled. We take pride in rallying with ACS against the Maximus contract that drains funds from the state budget to pay for services by a private contractor that are not user-friendly  by people who are not accessible, and may have cut 42,000 persons from the program who still qualify for services. 

Who Do You Stand with Regarding Medicaid Cuts 

and  Maximus Private Medicaid Contract?

Julie Hamos, secretary of Illinois Health and Family Servoecs whoch propvidies Medicaid, Link, SNAP, Aid to Aged, Blind, Disabled (AABD)

stands with Maximus.

IMPRUVE, BNICEH and I stand with the people and Alliance for Community Services.  

Take action Friday September 13. Meet at Starbucks at 7:45 am, then rally on at 8 am to 401 S. Clinton to demand that the contract for Maximus be cancelled now, not extended, not cancelled much later, but now. 

The action on Friday Sep. 13 at 8 am by Alliance for Community Services (ACS)   of which BNICEH and IMPRUVE are members is at 401 S. Clinton is important if we truly support a govt that represents the people and less privatization that lays off real workers certified to deliver the social and human services that support the needs of real people who need affordable healthcare.

Many of you know me, IMPRUVE, BNICEH, NA4J,  Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), Illinois Chapter  Illinois Single-Payer Coalition (ISPC)  ISPC People with Disabilities Committee, disability advocacy groups and others who are opposed to the State of Illinois giv9nga  contarct to Maximus whiel people deteriorate in health and well-being, and experienced, certified workers are not allowed to work or help  people who  apply, re-apply or want to apply for benefits.

 All activists, advocates, seniors, people who are disabled, spiritually-directed people (and even if you are not spiritually-directed), human service providers, healers, healthcare providers, please get the word out and try to attend. This is very important. Many of us who receive Medicaid are unjustly being removed or services delayed by inefficiency and intentional misdirection by Maximus.

Illinois is paying Maximus  $78 million to do a  hatchet job on Medicaid recipients.

Love & Peace,

Maat

Come tell your story or the stories of clients, relatives, friends.

Don't assume that Secy Julie Hamos will do the right thing.  She wants to extend the Maximus contract.  She refuses to meet with us and she  is the one who can cancel Maximus' contract.

Don't assume that your state legislators will stand up for you.  Come out and be counted, so everyone knows where you stand and that you want real people to determine your benefits, real people certified by the state to  mange your human services case, and real people to answer why there is money to pay Maximus and its staff, but not provide caseworkers at the Skokie IHFS office; no money to pay your healthcare providers, and no money to pay caseworkers at certain other offices.

If you are hearing-impaired, how does Maximus communicate with you?  If you are confined to the bed and have no special equipment to answer your phone and your home services provider is not there, are you at risk of Maximus cutting you off from Link, Medicaid and others services such as AABD if you do not answer your phpne or your substitute mailman returns your letter?  Have you called and not gotten an answer yet from IHFS?

It took me 8 months, 2 faxes, 2 emails, a letter and 8 phone calls from December to May or June  to get Part B Medicare--just received the notice and card September 9 retroactive to March 2013.  I also called twice and visited twice--my State Rep and State Senator's office. Thanks to Cathy Smith in Sen. Steans office --she found out  a week ago that I had been approved.  They just had not notified me!!!

Do you have that type of persistence and time to spend pleading with the state to approve your application for anything?  

Most seniors, people with disabilities, people with catastrophic health issues,  persons with huge unpaid medical bills, and persons who work, yet qualify for Medicaid or Link or SNAP do not.  Most people don't. 

Note:  I was in collection for my opthamology care and was receiving past due bills for physical therapy. 

The phone system-robot-absentee-caseworker  of Maximus is unfairly denying people benefits--People such as Ray Smith, whose doctor says he is dying and needs surgery.  He does not have Medicaid. He has no income.  He is not working. He was denied SSDI though he qualifies and is severely disabled.  He is mainly confined to bed and his oxygen is delivered to him--or maybe he is no longer receiving it, since  he moved...long story.  Does he still need it?  Yes.  

Counting on your help,

Maat  (Ayo Maat, Ph.D, 

President, IMPRUVE, BNICEH)

"Order to chaos"