Volume 3, Number 4
By Jean P. Hall, Ph.D., KU Evaluation Team Principal Investigator
Every working-age Kansan with a disability receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) should have received a red, white and blue “Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency” from the Social Security Administration sometime between November 2002 and October 2003. The “Ticket” is a voucher that the person can use to receive intensive employment services at no cost.
In recent interviews, many Working Healthy enrollees indicated that, while they remembered having received a ticket in the mail, they really did not understand what it was for. Even people who were currently looking for a job did not realize that the Ticket was a way to get assistance. An important feature of the Ticket program is that people who have assigned their tickets and are actively using them to get job training or placement services are exempt from regular medical continuing disability reviews (CDRs) by Social Security. What this means is that a ticket user can benefit from job services and not worry about losing his or her benefits in the process. The Working Healthy Benefits Specialists can provide you or a client with more information about this important program. Don’t miss the train—use that ticket!
Working Healthy’s Personal Attendant Services: Progress Update
By Mary Ellen O’Brien Wright, Working Healthy Program Director
The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) is planning to submit an 1115 Independence Plus Waiver application this spring to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The new waiver, titled Work Opportunities Reward Kansans (WORK) is for individuals enrolled in Working Healthy who require personal attendant services in order to work. Unique aspects of this wavier include consumers handling their own funds to purchase their services, having the option to be their own fiscal managers, and deciding whether or not to use the services of a Supports Broker. Consumers may also choose to purchase their personal attendant services in alternative and innovative ways that may be more cost-effective. It is hoped that this waiver will allow consumers to go beyond self-direction and provide control over their lives. SRS has also applied for a Robert Woods Johnson “Cash and Counseling” grant to help fund the implementation of WORK.
Benefits Specialists’ Corner
This issue features Working Healthy Benefits Specialist Madeleine (Maddie) Anthony. Maddie is located in the Wichita Area SRS Office and covers Harper, Harvey, Kingman, McPherson, Reno, Sedgwick and Sumner counties. Maddie can be contacted by phone at 316-337-6427 or by email at WMZA@srskansas.org. For more information on the work incentives Maddie discusses below, please contact your local Working Healthy Benefits Specialist.
Well my turn has come around again to add a few comments. As you know I’ve been with Working Healthy for over a year and every week there is a new challenge and a new question. Not only is it a job that has variation, but flexibility too. Each staff meeting includes discussion on service delivery improvement, program development, and the ever eternal “do more with less!!” Whatever we are doing, I can tell you it’s working, as we now have more than 700 enrollees!! Thank you for making this program a success!
Choices, attitudes, values and magic wands
In opening remarks to a group of people, I often tell them up front…I don’t have a magic wand and I can’t fix everything. However, boy would we all like one!
What would your magic wand do for you? Would it give you things you can’t get? There may be a few things that even a wand can’t do for you. But back to reality…I bet there are some things on your wish list that you really don’t need a magic wand for.
Have you wondered about getting a job but thought, “no, I can’t, I have a disability?” Have you ever wondered how you would pay for your meds if you got a job? Have you wondered why you would lose your food stamps if you go to work? Wonder and wave your wands no more for you have the ability to meet your needs and wants. For those who elect to work, you have the choice to use the work incentives that will help you reach your goals without jeopardizing your benefits. For those of you who elect to no longer remain in poverty and want more, you have the choice to use the work incentives. For some, work may not be an option at this time. That may mean remaining on some form(s) of assistance to help you manage. Even in this situation you can still be capable of having an active life. How about getting involved in some community activities? You CAN be purposefully occupied and have a better quality of life even without more money. For those who want to increase their assets, be thankful you no longer qualify for cash assistance programs and that you support yourself. You can support yourself because you made a choice to work and utilized work incentives to get you there. Yes I’m repeating myself, but the message today is that you have the choice to use opportunities available to you. Making these choices and exerting effort in combination with having a good attitude and a clear idea of the lifestyle you want, can be your magic wand! Use it well!
- Madeleine Anthony, Working Healthy Benefits Specialist
Working Healthy Enrollment and Premium Statistics
By Noelle K. Kurth, KU Evaluation Team
Enrollment in Working Healthy has continued to rise steadily since the inception of the program in July 2002 (see Figure 1). Likewise, the number and percentage of enrollees who pay premiums has also consistently risen. When comparing March 2003 enrollment to March 2004 enrollment, the percentage of premium payers rises from 57% to 64% of the total Working Healthy enrollment for that month. An increase in the number of premium payers also brings an increase in the dollar amount of premiums that are collected. In March 2003, the Working Healthy premiums billed for 330 enrollees totaled $22,075 and in one year that amount increased to $31,744 for the 450 premium payers in March 2004.
Figure One information is as follows -
Title: Kansas Working Healthy Total Enrollment
July 2002: Total enrollment = 248, 20% of which are paying a premium
September 2002: Total enrollment = 369, 40% of which are paying a premium
December 2002: Total enrollment = 499, 44% of which are paying a premium
March 2003: Total enrollment = 572, 57% of which are paying a premium
June 2003: Total enrollment = 614, 58% of which are paying a premium
September 2003: Total enrollment = 638, 60% of which are paying a premium
December 2003: Total enrollment = 674, 63% of which are paying a premium
March 2004: Total enrollment = 704, 64% of which are paying a premium
Note: Because of the 3-month window for retroactive enrollment, the March 2004 figure is subject to increase.
Source: Kansas InterChange Medicaid Management System (KiCMMIS)
Average per person premium amounts also increased slightly from $67/month in March 2003 to $71/month in March 2004. Given that premiums increase with income levels, this finding indicates a slight overall increase in enrollees’ income over the last year. Currently, almost half of the individuals who have premiums for Working Healthy pay $55/month (n=192) and the highest monthly premium amount paid is $205 (n=1). One year earlier, in March 2003, the greatest percentage of premium payers also paid $55/month (n=164), but the highest monthly premium amount paid was only $168/month (n=1). Figure 2 compares the numbers of premium payers in each category (amount paid per month) for these two points in time.
Figure 2 information is as follows –
Title: Comparison of Monthly Premium Amounts March 2003 and March 2004
$55 premiums: 164 in March 2003 and 192 in March 2004
$69 premiums: 99 in March 2003 and 129 in March 2004
$74-$83 premiums: 39 in March 2003 and 56 in March 2004
$93-$97 premiums: 16 in March 2003 and 34 in March 2004
premiums greater than $100: 12 in March 2003 and 30 in March 2004
Enrollment by Region and County
Working Healthy Benefits Specialists are assigned to areas of the state by particular regions (for a listing of counties in each region, see the Working Healthy Web Site). Table 1 below illustrates the number of Working Healthy enrollees by region. As might be expected, enrollment is higher in those areas with greater population density. The five counties with the highest enrollment as of March 2004 are as follows:
• Sedgwick County in the Wichita Region - 108 enrollees, 15.3% of total enrollment
• Johnson County in the Kansas City Region - 99 enrollees, 14.1% of total enrollment
• Douglas County in the Kansas City Region - 48 enrollees, 6.8% of total enrollment
• Shawnee County in the South Central Region - 46 enrollees, 6.5% of total enrollment
• Wyandotte County in the Kansas City Region - 33 enrollees, 4.7% of total enrollment
Table 1. Working Healthy enrollment by region, March 2004
Table information is as follows:
Kansas City Region, Benefits Specialist located in KC SRS Office – n=191, 27.1% of total
Wichita Region, Benefits Specialist located in Wichita SRS Office – n=157, 22.3% of total
South Central Region, Benefits Specialist located in Emporia SRS Office – n=92, 13.1% of total
Northeast Region, Benefits Specialist located in Manhattan SRS Office – n=89, 12.6% of total
Southeast Region, Benefits Specialist located in Pittsburg SRS Office – n=73, 10.4% of total
Southwest Region, Benefits Specialist located in Garden City SRS Office – n=63, 8.9% of total
Northwest Region, Benefits Specialist located in Hays SRS Office – n=39, 5.5% of total
TOTAL enrollment = 704, 100%
Working Healthy Outreach Activities
By Nancy Scott, Benefits Specialist Team Leader
The seven Working Healthy Benefits Specialists provide comprehensive outreach to groups and individuals in their respective areas. This outreach consists of presenting information about the Working Healthy Program to Kansans with disabilities who are employed or seeking employment, SRS staff, other service providers and community-based organizations. Benefits Specialists help Kansans with disabilities who are already working or seeking employment understand the impact working and/or increasing their income can have on their benefits.
Benefits Specialists meet monthly with one another, by phone conference or in person, for program updates, training, and discussion of problems or issues as they arise. Team members report that some outreach consists of addressing information pertaining to technical, procedural, regulatory, and referral issues. These requests typically come from state and local agencies as well as individuals. Much of the Benefit Specialists time is involved in researching and providing accurate information to meet these requests. The table on the following page illustrates the various types of outreach conducted within the last three months.
Table information is as follows -
In January 2004: 46 presentations, 337 outreach contacts, 294 consumer contacts and 589 technical assistance calls
In February 2004: 57 presentations, 890 outreach contacts, 358 consumer contacts and 262 technical assistance calls
In March 2004: 54 presentations, 482 outreach contacts, 325 consumer contacts and 487 technical assistance calls
Upcoming conferences at which Benefits Specialists will conduct Working Healthy Presentations and/or be available to answer questions, include the following:
• April 15-16, 2nd annual Kansas Fatherhood Summit, Holiday Inn-West, Topeka
• April 30, Wichita Area SRS Office Managers Meeting, Wichita
• May 1, Edwards County Health Fair, Kinsley
• May 3, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), Wichita, 7-9 pm
• May 6, Occupational Center of Central Kansas (OCCK), Salina
• May 11-13, ADA Symposium, Crown Center Hyatt Regency, Kansas City Missouri
• May 25-26, Statewide Workforce Centers Symposium, Capital City Plaza Hotel, Topeka
• June 22-26, Youth Leadership Forum, Washburn University, Topeka
For additional information regarding conferences and how you can attend, please contact the Benefits Specialist Team Leader, Nancy Scott by phone at 785-291-3461 or by email NAS@srskansas.org.
Two Benefits Specialists can also be found at offices in their regions on a cyclical basis each week or month during the next couple of months (see Table below). Those not listed (Norm White, Kansas City; Judi Vargas, Northeast; Sherri Sherman, Northwest; Dan Hallacy, Southeast and Carrie Boettcher, South Central), as well as Steve and Maddie, are available at anytime by appointment.
Please call them directly or toll free at 1-800-449-1439.
Table information is as follows –
Steve Curtis, Southwest Region at Garden City Center for Independent Living May 4th and June 1st and at Dodge City Center for Independent Living May 3rd and June 7th and at Liberal Center for Independent Living May 18th and June 15th.
Maddie Anthony, Wichita Region at Newton SRS office April 20th in the morning and May 4th in the morning and MchPherson SRS office May 4th in the afternoon and Hutchinson SRS office April 21st and May 13th.
Working Healthy is published quarterly by the University of Kansas CRL, Division of Adult Studies and in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. Additional copies and copies in alternate formats are available upon request by writing the University of Kansas Division of Adult Studies, Attn: Noelle, 1122 West Campus Rd.. JRP Hall Rm. 517, Lawrence, KS 66045, by phone 785-864-7085, by email: pixie@ku.edu
KU Research Team
Jean Hall, Principal Investigator
Noelle Kurth, Project Coordinator and Editor
Dan Cox, Graduate Research Assistant
SRS, Division of Health Care Policy:
Mary Ellen O'Brien Wright, Program Director
Nancy Scott, Benefits Specialist Team Leader