Category Archives: FRONT

“Bottom Dollars” Free Documentary Screening Event

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Free documentary screening in eight communities around Iowa!
 
The Iowa Department of Human Rights and the Center for Disabilities and Development, Iowa’s University Center for Excellence on Disabilities, in partnership with the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council and Disability Rights Iowa are hosting the screening of “Bottom Dollars, a Rooted in Rights Original Documentary” in eight cities around Iowa. This award winning film calls for the phase out of the sub-minimum wages and sheltered workshops, and offers solutions for fair wages and inclusive employment. The documentary features personal stories and expert interviews with advocates that have been working to improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities. 

Following the film, local panelists will share their perspectives related to subminimum wage employment and alternatives to segregated, subminimum employment in Iowa.
 
Advocates, families, policy makers, disability service providers, and the general public are encouraged to attend. This showing is free! To help us plan accordingly RSVPs are strongly encouraged via the form below.

If you need accommodations to attend please contact Linda Scott at least one week prior to the event you plan to attend by either email (linda.scott@iowa.gov) or phone (515)281-3164. The film is captioned and voice captioned.
 

RSVP online to help us plan accordingly: https://tinyurl.com/bottomdollars Requests for accommodations must be submitted seven days prior to the screening by contacting Linda Scott, Iowa Department of Human Rights, 515-281-3164 or linda.scott@iowa.gov.

2018 Event Dates:

Bottom dollars press release

 

Access Denied Video Series

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For many people with disabilities, certain everyday places and activities are inaccessible. Here at Disability Rights Iowa we want to showcase those instances through a campaign called Access Denied. Disability Rights Iowa intern, Zach, went around Des Moines to demonstrate what a person with a physical disability must go through to get to get to places like the bank or a coffee shop.Zach starred in and directed the Access Denied video series. The five videos look at Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act which focuses on public accommodations and commercial facilities. If you or someone you know has had their access denied, snap a photo and send it to us. We want to tell the stories that Iowan’s with disabilities are facing. Send us your photo and story on Facebook or at c.warner@driowa.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If the MCO’s deny or reduce your services, let us know.

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Update on Medicaid Class Action Lawsuit

March 2018

DRI, in conjunction with co-counsel, filed a class action on behalf of Iowa Medicaid beneficiaries with intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, and brain injuries who receive home and community based services from one of three waiver programs. 

By way of background, Iowa transitioned last year from a state run Medicaid program to a private, for-profit managed care plans.  Initially the plans maintained some of the services for members with severe disabilities who need extensive home and community-based services to be able to live integrated into their communities and having access to community life similar to non-disabled individuals.  However, the managed care companies claimed they were losing too much money on Medicaid contracts and began cutting members’ necessary home and community-based services without any significant changes to their health needs, and not providing proper notice nor an opportunity to appeal. 

The class action was filed against the Governor and the Director of Department of Human Services in their official capacities (however, the Governor was later dismissed).  Plaintiffs sought declaratory and both preliminary and permanent injunctive relief to halt the terminations and reductions of home and community-based services by Defendants and their agents until there is compliance with the requirements of the Medicaid Act, the U.S. Constitution, Iowa Constitution, the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  Plaintiffs also petitioned for class certification.  DRI represents plaintiffs along with co-counsel from the National Health Law Project and Roxanne Conlin & Associates, P.C.

The court denied the request for class certification on November 21, 2017.  The court later denied the request for preliminary injunction on November 28, 2017.  

On February 2, 2018, Judge Goodgame Ebinger dismissed the class action lawsuit against the state of Iowa’s Department of Human Services director.  The judge ruled that as AmeriHealth Caritas of Iowa MCO has ceased operating in Iowa, the Plaintiffs claims are moot. 

DRI disagrees with the judge’s decision.  Regardless of which managed care company handles the member’s waiver services, the Iowa Department of Human Services is ultimately responsible for ensuring that Iowans have the Medicaid services they need.  DRI will continue to review if there is compliance with the HCBS waivers and services for Iowans. 

 If you are experiencing any reduction, denial or termination of your home and community-based waiver services, please give DRI a call at 515-278-2502 or 800-779-2502. 

Read the court dismissal here 65-Order dismissing medicaid managed care suit.