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| Two ICS Leaders Inducted into Hall of Fame! Last Month the New York State Independent Living Council announced the first New Yorkers to be inducted into the new Disability Rights Hall of Fame. We are incredibly proud that two members of the ICS family are among the eight people chosen for this honor.
Until her death in December, Anna Fay, pictured above on the left, was our beloved Senior Vice President for Independent Living. Anna, who contracted polio in 1944 at the age of six, was a renowned leader of the disability rights movement beginning in the 1970s. She was also a role model and mentor to four generations of people with disabilities who sought to live independently, outside of institutions. You can listen to Anna talk about her life of activism here.
Marilyn Saviola, our Senior Vice President for Advocacy and the Women’s Health Program, is the former Executive Director of the Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York. Marilyn, too, contracted polio as a child and has an extraordinary record of fighting for the rights of people with physical disabilities to live independently. She is, among many other things, an expert on accessible health care whose work has made accessible mammography and gynecological services widely available to women with physical disabilities in New York City. You can listen to Marilyn talk about her life of advocacy here.
Another of the eight Hall of Fame inductees, Terence Moakley, was a leading advocate for accessible transportation, and former president of the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association. He was also an ICS board member and a beloved friend.
Congratulations to all of the Hall of Fame inductees!
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Clinical Specialist Rachel Spiers, far left, explains the importance of proper wheelchair fitting and evaluation
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Think All Wheelchairs are Alike?Just ask an ICS Expert.
New members often arrive at ICS in a wheelchair that is ill-suited to their disability, physical condition, strengths and needs. In many cases, we see people who are actually harmed by their wheelchair! That’s because an incorrect mobility device can cause pressure wounds, muscle injuries, infections and skeletal deformities. During a recent segment of Hart of New York, ICS Clinical Specialist Rachel Spiers explained what goes into a proper wheelchair evaluation and fitting, and how ICS works to get members what they need to stay mobile and healthy. Watch an excerpt of the show here.
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Medicare and Homecare? It's Complicated. Probably no post on our blog has elicited as much controversy as our recent piece on Medicare and homecare. There's a widespread belief that Medicare does not pay for long-term home care. That simply isn't the case - but it's also not simple to get the benefit. Still, it's important to know the facts - so here they are.
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Friendship Eases the End of Life
Attitudes toward death and dying are changing rapidly in the United States. A majority of Americans now choose cremation over burial. After a years-long fight, Medicare now covers end-of-life planning conversations with medical providers.
Another trend that’s grown in recent years is the use of death doulas, people who are trained to provide a range of services to patients nearing the end of life. They can offer practical help with living wills, funeral arrangements or other paperwork that an overwhelmed individual or family facing death might find useful. But for many people the doula’s most important role is to visit and offer a comforting presence to someone who is terminally ill.
While these services are obviously valuable, the cost of a professional death doula, which can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars depending upon the circumstances, is surely beyond the reach of many people who could benefit. That’s why we were delighted to learn of the Doula Program to Accompany and Comfort (DPAC), which recently gave a presentation to ICS staff. Learn more here.
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It's easy to Verify EligibilityIf you are an ICS provider and need to verify a member's eligibility, just call 1.877.ICS.2525 and provide the member's name and date of birth.
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April 1 - New Billing Codes Last fall the New York State Department of Health informed providers statewide of a requirement to begin using new billing codes as of January 1, 2018 for home and community based long-term services claims. However, subsequently the State pushed back its implementation date for this change to April 1, 2018. In accordance with the State’s requirement and implementation date change, ICS has sent our providers new authorizations with the new codes. Please do not hesitate to contact the ICS Provider Relations Department if you have any questions or concerns about this change to the billing procedure. More information is available here.
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Provider Relations Contacts Our partnership with our providers is very important. The ICS Provider Relations Department has responsive, knowledgeable staff who can answer questions and offer assistance. Key contacts are below.
Deana Lawson, Vice President for Contracting & Provider Relations:
646.653.6188 deana.lawson@icsny.org
Jenny Leung, Provider Relations Field Representative:
646.653.6331 jenny.leung@icsny.org
Eva Rosa, Credentialing Supervisor:
212.584.2505 eva.rosa@icsny.org
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