Proposed changes to MAPP Program championed by Rep. Jacque now in governor’s budget
by Thomas J. Diedrick
executive director of Options for Independent Living Inc.
MAPP is a work incentive program available to people with disabilities who want to work, but fear losing the Medicaid /long term care services they need. There are still many disincentives in MAPP that stop people with disabilities from working or working to their fullest potential. This year Governor Walker’s biennial budget includes proposed changes to MAPP that will remove many of the disincentives.
Over the past three years, Rep. Jacque and the committee garnered much support in the legislature for changes to the MAPP program. As a result of this work and legislative support, the Department of Health Services (DHS) saw the need to remove many of the disincentives. DHS began working with the group last year to develop a list of necessary changes that would be budget neutral. When that was accomplished, DHS proposed the changes as a part of the Governor’s biennial budget.
The changes are many and a little complicated, but they will be beneficial to people with disabilities who want to work and need Medicaid. Here are some of the proposed changes: treating earned and unearned income the same in premium calculations, which would remove the premium cliff for people on SSDI and exempting independence accounts/assets/retirement accounts accumulated while on MAPP or COP when applying for another MA or long term care program. This would allow someone to retire after being on MAPP and still maintain long term care services.
Another change is the deduction of medical, remedial and long-term care expenses over $500 a month in eligibility calculations. This would allow those with higher incomes to deduct those costs from their income, thus allowing them to be on MAPP. A proposed change that is not MAPP specific, but very critical for people with disabilities, is the increase of the medically needy rate to 100% of the federal poverty level. There has not been an increase in this rate in over 30 years!
If the budget passes with the MAPP changes intact many of the disincentives currently in MAPP will be gone, allowing people with disabilities to work to the greatest extent possible without the fear of losing their Medicaid benefits or being unable to afford them.
Our many thanks go out to Rep. Andre Jacque for his commitment and diligence in working with advocates the past three years to shed light on the importance of these changes. Our thanks also go out to DHS and the Governor for their work in placing the changes in the budget.
The Governor’s theme for this year’s budget is “Wisconsin Works for Everyone.” These proposed changes will go a long way in making that happen for people with disabilities throughout the state who want to work! Now the work starts…let’s get the proposed MAPP changes in the budget passed.
Contact your legislator and ask for their support. If your legislator already supports the changes, say thank you!