NYS Seal

ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH
ASSEMBLY TASK FORCE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

SUBJECT:
Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Services.

PURPOSE:
To hear testimony on New York's Medicaid "TBI Waiver" program and issues relating to the transition of the TBI Waiver program to managed care.

Albany
Thursday, October 8, 2015
10:30 A.M.
Hearing Room C, Legislative Office Building

ORAL TESTIMONY BY INVITATION ONLY

Every year, traumatic brain injury (TBI) (injury to the brain or skull caused by an external force) results in more than 2,000 deaths, 19,000 hospital admissions, and over 100,000 emergency department visits in New York, as reported by the Department of Health. Thousands of New Yorkers, young and old alike, live with brain injury and its consequences, including complex and unique cases in which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms may not have been noticed at first or weren't considered "traumatic" at the time of injury. While many of these patients receive health care services in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, the Brain Injury Association of America states that it is likely that some portion of individuals are not diagnosed or evaluated for services from which they could benefit. Emerging science on brain injury - its prevalence, causes, and effects - complicates the picture even further.

New York's Medicaid "TBI Waiver" program provides Medicaid services in the home for individuals who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. The Department of Health recently agreed to delay the transition of TBI Waiver services from fee-for-service to managed care until January 1, 2017, and to form a work group to discuss this transition. Advocates, providers, and legislators called for this delay to ensure adequacy and appropriateness of services for this population.

The Committees are seeking oral and written testimony from patients and their families, clinicians, service providers, and the Department on topics including the incidence, severity and consequences of TBI; treatment and service appropriateness and availability, including the rights of patients sent out-of-state; and issues relating to the transition of the TBI Waiver program to managed care.

Oral testimony is by invitation only. Persons wishing to be invited to testify at the hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form by October 1, 2015. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation of the hearing. Persons who do not testify in person may submit written testimony.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes. All testimony will be under oath. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate receiving prepared statements in advance.

Please inform interested parties and organizations of the hearing.

In order to meet the needs of those with a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

Richard N. Gottfried
Member of Assembly
Chair
Committee on Health
Aileen M. Gunther
Member of Assembly
Chair
Committee on Mental Health
David I. Weprin
Member of Assembly
Chair
Task Force on People with Disabilities




PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Services are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible, but no later than close of business Thursday, October 1, and mail, email or fax it to:

Logan Hardy
Committee Assistant
Assembly Program and Counsel
Room 442 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Email: hardyl@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4371
Fax: (518) 455-4693
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I plan to attend the public hearing on "Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Services" to be conducted by the Assembly Committee on Health and Assembly Committee on Mental Health on October 8th.
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I have been invited to make a public statement at the hearing. My statement will be limited to 10 minutes, and I will answer any questions which may arise. I will provide 10 copies of my prepared statement.
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I will address my remarks to the following subjects:




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I do not plan to attend the above hearing.
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I would like to be added to the Committee's mailing list for notices and reports.
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I would like to be removed from the Committee's mailing list.
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I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required:




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