[rehab] Medicaid Payments for O&M Services

[Dick Davis]

Gabe,

Read Eddie Bell's response, which has all the information you need.  To add
to it, no medical doctor, ophthalmologists included, is competent to
prescribe cane travel instruction or any kind of blindness rehabilitation.
Ophthalmologists' education about blindness is usually confined to a quick
visit to the local blind center.  I know that from talking to a number of
them - they really know nothing about blindness.  They are trained to see
blindness and blind people as a problem that needs to be solved.  Blindness
rehabilitation professionals, especially the kind that graduate from Dr.
Bell's program, actually do know a lot about blindness, and state rehab
programs are actually funded to deliver the kinds of intensive services
blind people need.  

And don't believe the 70% unemployment figure, which is based on projections
derived from very fragmentary studies done years ago - nobody has ever done
a real census of blind people in the nation.  And even if the 70% figure is
real, it is based on working age blind people, including people who have
just lost their eyesight, people who don't want to return to work because
they are afraid of losing their Social Security benefits, people who are
over the age of 55 and want to be retired, people who are in training
programs and postsecondary education, etc.  If it was based on blind people
who were ready for and actually looking for work, I think it would be a lot
lower.  

A lot has to do with quality of training: I work for BLIND, Inc., and 90% of
our graduates either go directly into employment or into postsecondary
education and then into employment.  The Louisiana and Colorado Centers have
a similar success rate.

Dick Davis  

-----Original Message-----
From: rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Gabe Vega
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 10:09 AM
To: Rehabilitation Counselor Mailing List
Subject: Re: [rehab] Medicaid Payments for O&M Services

who's cause? and why aren't you conviced. can we get a solid arguement
written out. I just keep seeing emails stating that it isn't a good idea but
no one is saying why its not a good idea.
Gabe Vega
(Phone voice and SMS: 623) 565-9357
Check out the centralized location for all my Social Networks
http://thebt.net

On Jan 19, 2011, at 9:29 AM, Andrews, David B B (DEED) wrote:

> Over the past 30 years or more -- most, if not all of the major players in
the blindness field have been actively trying to discourage the "medical
model" of blindness.  While I can understand renewed interest in it -- as
funds get tighter, I am not convinced it is something that ultimately
furthers our cause.
> 
> Dave
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Jan Bailey
> Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 5:30 AM
> To: Rehabilitation Counselor Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [rehab] Medicaid Payments for O&M Services
> 
> Well, medical doctors know next to nothing about blind rehab, so how 
> would they properly prescribe  what's needed?
> 
> Jan
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "gabe vega" <theblindtech at gmail.com>
> To: "Rehabilitation Counselor Mailing List" <rehab at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 5:20 AM
> Subject: Re: [rehab] Medicaid Payments for O&M Services
> 
> 
>> I am a little confused here. We always talk about spreading education  
>> and awareness to the public, government and other professions about  
>> blindness and all it brings, and you are telling me this medicade  
>> situation is a bad thing?
>> 
>> will it not put more of a spotlight on blindness based on the fact  
>> that more people will have to deal with and provide for people of who  
>> are blind?
>> 
>> I am not sure if I subscribe to this blind nitch rehab model anyways,  
>> how has it advanced this so called 70% emplyment rate for the past 20  
>> years for example?
>> On Jan 19, 2011, at 5:15 AM, Jan Bailey wrote:
>> 
>>> Extra funding would be nice, but I agree with you.
>>> Jan
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marks, Jim" <jimmarks at mt.gov>
>>> To: <rehab at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 3:03 PM
>>> Subject: [rehab] Medicaid Payments for O&M Services
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> The Montana Legislature is considering a bill that would require 
>>>> Medicaid to pay for orientation and mobility services for qualified 
>>>> children in K-12 education.  It may overlap to adult services as  well.
>>>> The primary advocate for the bill is an Orientation and  Mobility 
>>>> Instructor working for her local school district.
>>>> 
>>>> While it's nice to have new funding streams for services, I'm  
>>>> concerned about the medicalizing of blindness rehabilitation  
>>>> services.  It would be a shame to involve medical doctors in things  
>>>> like buying a long white cane when the docs know almost nothing  about
blind rehab.
>>>> 
>>>> What have other states done?  Are there issues/pitfalls to consider?
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks in advance for your replies.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -----
>>>> Jim Marks
>>>> Disability Transitions Programs Director Montana Department of 
>>>> Public Health & Human Services jimmarks at mt.gov 
>>>> http://vocrehab.mt.gov
>>>> (406) 444-2591
>>>> 
>>>> "The legitimate purpose of society and its governments is not to  
>>>> govern people and to promote the good life for them, but to empower  
>>>> them to govern themselves and to provide the good life for  
>>>> themselves and their fellow humans."  Justin Dart
>>>> 
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>>> 
>>> 
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>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
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