HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2003.04.17 - 27023REPORT (MISC. 103053) April 17, 2003
BY: General Government Committee, William R. Patterson, Chairperson
IN RE: MR #03053 — BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — RESTORATION OF THE MI
CHOICE MEDICAID WAIVER PROGRAM
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The General Government Committee, having reviewed Miscellaneous Resolution
#03053 on April 7, 2003, reports with a recommendation that the resolution be adopted.
Chairperson, on behalf of the General Government Committee, I move
acceptance of the foregoing report.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
General Government Committee Vote:
Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote with Webster and Hatchett absent.
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION # 03053
BY: Commissioner William R. Patterson, District #1
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — RESTORATION OF THE MI CHOICE MEDICAID WAIVER
PROGRAM
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS, the 2000 Census reports there were 177,624 Oakland County residents age 60 and older, an
estimated 11,000 of whom have at least three or more limitations in their ability to perform necessary activities
of daily living and are in need of long term care assistance; and
WHEREAS, a recent study of adults in Michigan conducted by W. K. Greene and Associates found that 90% of
respondents think that people receiving Medicaid assistance for long term care should have the option of
choosing where to receive their services and 91% believe it is somewhat very important that the Governor and
Legislature explore lower-cost alternatives for delivering long term care services to Medicaid residents; and
WHEREAS, many disabled residents live alone, or have family caregivers who are unable to meet their care
needs without help or financial assistance; and
WHEREAS, elderly and disabled residents in Oakland County should be able to receive needed long term care
in a variety of settings, such as nursing homes, county medical facilities, and community-based options
including their own home; and
WHEREAS, access to long term care in nursing homes and county medical facilities is available to persons
qualified for Medicaid long term care, while the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver home care option has been closed
to Oakland County residents since 2001; and
WHEREAS, the MI Choice program saves money by costing Medicaid an average of just $39 per person per
day compared to Medicaid average payments for nursing home care of $98 per day; and
WHEREAS, MI Choice has contributed toward a 17% reduction in the utilization of Medicaid beds in nursing
homes over the past 10 years and can be used by the state to control expensive nursing home costs during this
time of fiscal crisis; and
WHEREAS, the MI Choice program served 15,000 individuals in 2001, but will only be helping approximately
5,000 by the end of fiscal year 2003; and
WHEREAS, Michigan citizens should have the freedom to choose where they live, especially when it can be
less costly to taxpayers, rather than being forced to choose to live in a nursing home.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners calls upon the State
of Michigan to re-open Michigan's MI Choice Medicaid Waiver program so that indigent elderly and disabled
individuals will have a community-based long term care option, and requests that Oakland County legislators
work to restore this worthwhile program.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this adopted resolution be forwarded to each of Oakland County's
legislators, Governor Jennifer Granholm, the Michigan Department of Community Health Director, Janet
Olszewski, the Michigan Association of Counties, and Oakland County's lobbyists.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
William R. Patterson
Commissioner, District 1
Resolution #03053 March 6, 2003
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no
objections.
G. William Caddell, County Clerk
Resolution #03053 April 17, 2003
Moved by Bullard supported by Coulter the resolutions on the Consent Agenda, as amended, be adopted
(with accompanying reports being accepted).
AYES: Coleman, Coulter, Crawford, Douglas, Gregory, Jamian, Knollenberg, Law, Long,
McMillin, Moffitt, Moss, Palmer, Patterson, Potter, Rogers, Scott, Suarez, Zack, Bullard. (20)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted therefore, the resolutions on the Consent Agenda, as amended, were
adopted (with accompanying reports being accepted).
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, G. William Caddell, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true
and accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on April 17, 2003,
with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County of Oakland at
Pontiac, Michigan this 17th day of April, 2003.