Three Advocacy Opportunities: Access to Abortions, Direct Support Professionals, and Medicare Rates

North Carolina legislators continue to go back and forth on budget negotiations behind the scenes. The Senate plans to release mini budgets (smaller spending packages that target specific state Departments) in mid-June while the House plans to release a full budget by mid-June. The budget stalemate will continue until spending levels are agreed on by both chambers and Governor Cooper.

North Carolina Senators discussed House Bill 453 Human Life Nondiscrimination Act/No Eugenics. The bill would prohibit doctors from performing an abortion if the pregnant person is seeking an abortion due to a fetus' presumed race or a prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome. More about the bill can be found  here. The bill passed two committees last week. The bill is scheduled for Senate Rules and from there will be heard on the Senate floor as early as this week. NASW-NC opposes this bill!

It’s not too late to take action!

You can use the script below to call and email your North Carolina Senator to voice your opposition to the bill and ask them to vote against it. Click here to find your NC Senator!

CALL/EMAIL SCRIPT (if no answer, please leave this as a message):

Hi, my name is _________, I am calling to voice my strong opposition to House Bill 453 Human Life Nondiscrimination Act/No Eugenics, and I am calling to ask Senator insert Senator's last name to vote against it. The purpose of House Bill 453 is nothing more than to strip away North Carolinians' ability to access healthcare. House Bill 453 does not address discrimination nor the needs of people of color, people with disabilities, nor people with Down Syndrome. Leading disability justice groups and medical groups, like Disability Rights NC and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, oppose this bill. House Bill 453 stigmatizes and isolates people who access abortion and harmfully interferes in the relationship between patients and their doctors. If we hope to truly prevent discrimination, then vote against House Bill 453, and focus the North Carolina General Assembly's efforts on the actual priorities and needs of people with disabilities and communities of color, like expanding Medicaid, increasing services and resources for North Carolinians with disabilities, and reducing the astronomical maternal mortality rate for Black North Carolinians.

Another opportunity to advocate for state legislation

The Direct Support Workforce Coalition is hosting a rally day on June 9 for HB 914 Support our Direct Care Workforce. This bill would increase the hourly wages of direct support staff across a variety of Medicaid services including Innovations and other home and community-based waivers, personal care services, home health, nursing homes and other behavioral health community and residential facilities. This increased rate is intended to make sure that people who qualify for services have the direct support workforce they need. Increased rates mean providers can pay competitive wages, retain experienced Direct Support Workers, and people who need support can receive the help they need.

Learn more about how you can advocate on June 9 in person or from home with the

Legislative Day Information Sheet.

National Advocacy Opportunity: help secure co-sponsors for important National legislation

NASW has lobbied for the introduction of S. 870/H.R. 2035, Improving Access for Mental Health Act which will increase Medicare reimbursement rates (private insurance companies often set insurance rates based on Medicare rates!) and provided needed access to behavioral health services for Medicare recipients.

This important legislation has ONE Co-Sponsor from North Carolina, Congresswoman Deborah Ross. Help us secure more members of Congress from North Carolina using this sample language below. Click here to find contact information for your U.S House member (note: this is Federal legislation so your North Carolina House and Senate members will not be voting on it in Raleigh).

Take action now!

This legislation will only advance if congressional lawmakers hear from social workers in their states and districts about the crucial role we play in this major federal program!

Subject: Co-Sponsor the Improving Access to Mental Health Act (S. 870/H.R. 2035)

As a constituent, social worker, and member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor the Improving Access to Mental Health Act (S. 870/H.R. 2035). This bipartisan, bicameral legislation is crucial in ensuring that millions of Medicare beneficiaries receive mental health services by supporting an essential provider of those services, Clinical Social Workers (CSWs).CSWs have been included in the Medicare program since 1989 but updates are urgently needed to meet current and projected needs in our community. This legislation will:

• Increase Medicare Reimbursement Rates for CSWs: The bill aligns Medicare payment for CSWs with that of most other non-physician providers by increasing the reimbursement rate from 75% to 85% of the physician fee schedule.
• Increase Access to Mental Health Services for Residents of Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF):  Currently, independent CSWs who are not employed by the SNF are unable to seek reimbursement under Medicare Part B for providing psychotherapy services to SNF residents receiving care under Medicare Part A. S. 870/H.R. 2035 would rectify this problem by excluding CSW services from SNF consolidated billing.
• Increase Supports for Medicare Beneficiaries Coping with Physical Health Conditions: Although Health and Behavior Assessment and Intervention (HBAI) services are within the scope of practice for CSWs, Medicare currently only reimburses CSWs for the “diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses.” S. 870/H.R. 2035 would broaden this narrow definition of CSW services to enable CSWs to receive Medicare reimbursement for HBAI services, which are cognitive, behavioral, social and psychophysiological interventions to prevent, treat, and improve physical health and well-being.

ADD YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS A MEDICARE PROVIDER, IF APPLICABLE.

Sincerely,

Your name, social work credentials