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Policy Updates

Public Authority Services wants you to be informed of policy issues that affect your rights as a consumer and recommend the following links for you to view policy updates.

Beginning in 2014, the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires individuals to have health insurance or potentially pay a penalty for noncompliance. Individuals will be required to maintain minimum essential coverage for themselves and their dependents. Some individuals will be exempt from the mandate and the penalty, while others may receive financial assistance to help them pay for the cost of health insurance coverage and the costs associated with using health care services. For individuals who do not have health coverage, the penalty will start in 2014at $95 per person or up to 1 percent of income. In 2015, the penalty increases to $325 per person or up to 2 percent of income. For 2016 and after, the penalty goes up to $695 per person or up to 2.5 percent of income. If you or your family members are uninsured, you may qualify for affordable health coverage. Information about options to obtain health coverage is available at:

Starting on July 1 there will be a new across-the-board cut to In-Home Supportive Services (an additional 4.4% on top of an already implemented 3.6% cut). Disability Rights California has prepared a flier for consumers about these cuts, available now on its website at: http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/pubs/PublicationsIHSS.html.

This new 5 page publication helps answers some common questions like: does this cut apply to everyone on IHSS, is this a new cut, is this cut permanent, can I appeal this cut, what can I do to get more hours, do I need a note from my doctor to show that my circumstances have changed, will the cut still apply if my IHSS hours go up or down, what if I have an unmet need for IHSS that is documented, what is an example of an unmet need, and lots more!

Disability Rights California will also be translating the flier into additional languages; the translations will be added to DRC’s website as soon as they are available.

This is part of the settlement of lawsuits challenging much deeper cuts to IHSS that were passed by the legislature in 2009 and 2011. You can read more about the Oster settlement here: http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/advocacy/Oster%20v%20Lightbourne/index.htm.