Yesterday, a federal judge in Oakland, California issued a preliminary injunction order stopping November 1, 2009, cuts to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) for more than 130,000 people statewide. The court decided that plaintiffs were likely to succeed in a lawsuit challenging the state’s use of “functional index” score and ranks, and that the state is prohibited from implementing cuts while the case proceeds.
This is good news for these 130,000 Californians and their families. To help get the news out and relieve the confusion and fear many IHSS consumers have had about the possibility of IHSS cuts, the court has ordered the state to send a “don’t worry” letter explaining that the cuts will not take place November 1 as previously thought.
To find out more about IHSS functional index appeals and the status of IHSS cuts, you can join in on the National Senior Citizens Law Center webcast next Monday, Oct. 26th at 12 noon. Contact NSCLC for registration info.
For more information on Medi-Cal benefits and coverage in general, see our Medi-Cal section.
