Family Voices Indiana

To: Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services providers and consumers From: Nicole Norvell, Director, Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services Re: Family Supports Waiver Renewal Date:  November 7, 2014 The Family of Social Services Administration’s Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) and the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning (OMPP) are drafting the renewal application for the Family Supports (FSW) Waiver and are requesting comments on the draft renewal. The renewal application must be submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) no later than  December 31, 2014 . DDRS has posted a draft of the FSW renewal, Draft ID # IN.007.03.00, for review and comment, on the  Draft Polices for Public Comment webpage . Proposed changes within the FSW Draft IN.007.03.00, are detailed in the major changes section at the beginning of the draft, highlights include: Extended Services is being proposed as a service that will prov

Did you know that if you bought a health insurance plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace in 2014, you can renew your current plan or enroll in a different plan for 2015? This fall, you’ll get two important 2015 health care plan notices about your health coverage. One will come from your health insurance company to explain any changes to premiums and benefits for the coming year. Another will come from the Marketplace with important deadlines and information about Open Enrollment, which starts on  November 15, 2014 . These notices help you understand your choices for 2015. To stay covered through the Marketplace for 2015, make sure to follow  these 5 Steps during Open Enrollment : Feel free to contact Family Voices Indiana for more information. You can find additional resources on our website .

November is Prematurity Awareness Month, when the March of Dimes focuses the nation's attention on premature birth. Our family leadership specialist, Michelle Green, has been a volunteer with March of Dimes since her daughter Iviee was born prematurely. She shares that experience with our readers this month…… March 11, 2005, started out very to be a very typical day. My children went about their normal routines, my husband went to work and I did my daily tasks. Suddenly, my water broke and I felt pain in my stomach. I knew this was not normal, because I was only 24 weeks pregnant. After arriving at the hospital, the pain grew more intense. I had a placental abruption, and I was rushed into the emergency room. I was anesthetized and given an emergency c-section.  When I awoke, my family and close friends stood around my hospital bed. I was not aware of the status of the baby but was quite sure she did not make it. I was told the baby was in the NICU. Someone from the NIC

Family Voices Indiana encourages its members to submit comments on the state’s transition plan for  Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), also known as Medicaid waivers. In an effort to make sure you have the information needed to make informed comments, we’ve included a list of resources. We know this is lengthy, but if you have a child with special health care needs who has, or will have at some point, waiver services, it’s important to be part of the comment period. Tips for making effective comments : ·           Stick to the issue at hand; your comments will be most effective if they focus only on this transition.  If you are unsure if a topic is relative, feel free to contact us (317 944 8982 info@fvindiana.org). We can clarify and direct you to other ways to share feedback if this is not the best forum. ·           Share why this issue matters to you and your family; this is the time to use your lived experience to influence change. ·           Limit your co