November 12, 2013

Congratulations to Newly Elected Consumer Voice Governing Board and Leadership Council Members!

Congratulations to the newly elected Governing Board and Leadership Council members! According to the Consumer Voice bylaws, Governing Board members provide fiscal oversight for the organization, conduct fund development, select the Executive Director, and conduct and implement strategic planning, among other duties. The Consumer Voice Leadership Council members develop the public policy and programmatic agenda of the organization and provide support and input on national workgroups and committees, among other duties.

Newly Elected Consumer Voice Governing Board Members

Scott Bartlett, Colorado Springs, CO
Yvette Green, Philadelphia, PA
Hannah Fink, Plantation, FL
Lori Walsh, Philadelphia, PA

Newly Elected Consumer Voice Leadership Council Members

Katharine (Kathy) Bradley, Lugoff, SC
Marianne Bradshaw, Lima, OH
Jennifer Golle, Nora Springs, IA
Shirley Krohn, Walnut Creek, CA
Steven Levin, Chicago, IL
Suda Raminani, New York, NY
Cynthia Rudder, New York, NY
Bernie Vonderheide, Lexington, KY
Karla Warren, Columbus, OH
Julie Pollock, Anita, IA
Deanna Okrent, Silver Spring, MD
Neil Munshi, Perry Hall, MD
Althea McLuckie, Taos, NM
Mitzi McFatrich, Lawrence, KS
Roxie Mayfield, Eugene, OR
Sharon B. Conley, Athens, GA
Carole Hayes Collier, Syracuse, NY
Carmen Castro, Houston, TX
Josh Casper, St. Paul, MN

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NSCLC Releases Issue Brief on Medicaid Expansion and Transition Issues in California

A new issue brief from the National Senior Citizens Law Center addresses Medicaid expansion and transition issues for California seniors and persons with disabilities.  "Medicaid Expansion in California: Opportunities and Challenges for Older Adults and People with Disabilities" provides an overview of new coverage options available with the Affordable Care Act and how they impact seniors and people with disabilities.  The brief also reviews how people receiving coverage under Medicaid expansion and exchanges will transition into Medicare coverage when they turn 65 or otherwise become eligible.

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OR Office of Adult Abuse Prevention and Investigations Releases Study on Financial Abuse

The Oregon Office of Adult Abuse Prevention and Investigations conducted a study on financial exploitation and the elderly. The office's investigators were only able to substantiate 30 percent of alleged abuses reported by seniors and disabled people. The study revealed that the number of financial abuses alleged by the elderly and disabled in Oregon increased 33 percent between 2009 and 2012.  For more information, read the article.

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PBS NewsHour and the SCAN Foundation Host Dialogue on Long-Term Care in America

PBS NewsHour and the SCAN Foundation hosted a dialogue on long-term care in America last week, which Consumer Voice staff were pleased to attend. This program included information on both local and global models of long-term care, as well as a discussion among a panel of aging experts regarding LTC solutions.

It can now be viewed online here.

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Consumer Voice Announces Next Meeting of the Family Member Focus Group!

Help us spread the word!

As you may have heard, the Consumer Voice launched a focus group to get family members' input and thoughts on issues related to their loved one's long-term care and services. By joining the Family Member Focus Group, participants will have the opportunity to respond and react to ideas and suggestions for changes in long-term care. Participants will also provide Consumer Voice staff with feedback about their experiences with their loved one's care. The feedback we receive will then be used to guide us in our policy work.

This focus group is ONLY open to family members. Family members' names will not be shared outside the group, and nothing said will affect the services their loved one is receiving.

The next meeting of the Family Member Focus Group will take place by telephone on a toll-free conference line on Thursday, November 21st, 2013 from 3:00-4:00pm ET. Participants will be joined by other family members and Consumer Voice staff. We will ask questions, which participants will receive ahead of time, and then give participants an opportunity to respond.

If you know someone who has a loved one receiving long-term services and supports, please pass this info along! They can click here to register for the call. If they have any questions, they can contact Sara Cirba at scirba@theconsumervoice.org, 202-332-2275 x 221 or toll free at 866-992-3668.

Thank you for sharing this opportunity with the family members you know!

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Consumer Voice Releases Joint Statement on the Recent Johnson & Johnson Settlement

On Friday, November 8th, Consumer Voice, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, Center for Medicare Advocacy, Long Term Care Community Coalition and the Legal Aid Justice Center in Virginia released a joint statement on the recent Johnson & Johnson settlement, in which the company was ordered by the Department of Justice to pay $2.2 billion in civil and criminal fines for the illegal marketing of Risperdal. Risperdal, an antipsychotic medication approved for the treatment of schizophrenia, was marketed by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) for off-label use among elderly persons with dementia, despite the significant health risks that Risperdal and other antipsychotics pose to this population. The pharmaceutical company was also found responsible for paying kickbacks to physicians and pharmacies to encourage the sale of antipsychotic drugs such as Risperdal and Invega among individuals in long-term care.
 
The joint statement on the J&J settlement, which can be read here, was prepared by Janet Wells, former Director of Public Policy at the Consumer Voice, and calls for improved national action to combat the misuse of antipsychotics like Risperdal among elderly persons with dementia. For additional information on the issue of antipsychotics being wrongly prescribed for the treatment of dementia, go to our website here.

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