2005 Testimony

Testimony Before The Senate Appropriations Committee

SB 2185 - Commitment for addiction

January 31, 2005

Chairman Holmberg and members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, my name is Tom Wallner and I am the Director of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. I am here today to advise you of the Council’s support for SB 2185. If enacted, this legislation will extend the Medicaid buy-in provisions established by the 2003 Legislature. This Workers with Disabilities Medicaid coverage eliminates the need for people with disabilities to make the difficult choice between working or retaining their healthcare eligibility under Medicaid by not working.

The Medicaid buy-in provisions enacted in 2003 went a long way toward eliminating this disincentive to gainful employment. Enactment of SB 2185 is needed to continue this progress. Therefore, the DD Council encourages the Committee to endorse this important legislation.

This concludes my testimony, and I will try to answer any questions from the Committee.

 

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