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| President June McMahon's November 2012 Vlog |
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| FAD President June McMahon's November 2012 Blog |
Greetings! It is hard to believe that the year of 2012 is coming to an end soon! It has been a busy year with meetings and events. We still have a lot of work to do until the next FAD conference on October 2013. The committee is chaired by Sarah Harris and Staci Wagner and will be in Tampa. Information can be found on the FAD website. I met with the committee last September and they are making good progress! After my meeting with the committee, I went to speak to the Community Center for the Deaf in Sarasota. Chris Wagner, our new National Association of the Deaf President also spoke to the group on their Deaf Awareness Day.
We had a Board meeting last September at the Villages. The Board agreed to approve our Memorandum of Understanding with the Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.
Donna Drake was appointed by the Governor to represent the FAD on the Florida Coordinating Council on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. We also are waiting for another vacancy to be filled.
Last month I attended the Florida Registry for the Deaf conference in Jacksonville. I signed the Memo of Understanding with the FRID President Terri Schisler. The National RID president Brenda Prudhom and Chris Wagner spoke on the partnership between the FRID and NAD. Terri and I also spoke about the FRID and FAD. I also spoke about the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children Bill of Rights and Terri spoke about the interpreting licensure during the legislative workshop. Gary Lieffers, our lobbyist also gave a presentation on the legislative procedures. I also attended the Emergency Preparation workshop. I would like to see one offered by the FAD. Congratulations to Vicky Fales, the new FRID president. I am looking forward to working with her.
Jose Granda asked me to participate on the Commission on Disability Issues in Miami. I gave a presentation on the FAD and Jose does a good job in educating the CODI on the needs of the deaf community in Miami. He did a vlog on Emergency Preparation and was involved in the meetings with the Miami Marlins baseball stadium on making it accessible for deaf and hard of hearing people. I also hope to attend the Miami picnic and mini Deaf expo next week.
Last week I attended the Summit on Childhood Deafness at Lake Mary. Tami Hossler, from the American Society for Deaf Children shared the booth with the FAD. We also gave a presentation on the Bill of Rights for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children. I also participated in a panel with the Hands and Voices, a parent group.
The next FAD Board meeting will be on January 5, 2013 at the Palm Beach Association of the Deaf. We also plan to have workshops on January 4, 2013.
Please mark your calendar for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Day at the capital in Tallahassee on March 12, 2013. It is important for us to meet with legislators and get support for our three bills. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children Bill of Rights, Interpreting Licensure and adding wireless to the Telecommunications Bill so the Florida Telecommunications Relay Inc. can distribute wireless equipment to deaf and hard of hearing people.
The Florida Association of the Deaf officers and board wishes you all good and healthy holidays!
June McMahon, President
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| Important Information about Medicaid & Interpreters |
Are you a deaf person on Medicaid who has asked your doctor to provide an interpreter and they said no? Or the doctor told you to bring your own interpreter? Do you know a deaf person on Medicaid who has been denied interpreters by their doctor? If so this information is for you.
Medicaid is a form of health insurance in Florida. Medicaid is overseen by the Agency for Health Care Administration known as AHCA, who is headquartered in Tallahassee. AHCA has set up a number of rules that Medicaid doctors must follow to keep receiving payment through Medicaid. One rule is that these doctors must provide qualified interpreters, when a deaf person needs one to effectively communicate with their Medicaid doctor.
AHCA has set up 13 Medicaid area offices throughout Florida to help make sure people on Medicaid can get help when needed. If you are deaf and have asked your Medicaid doctor for an interpreter, and he or she will not provide one you must contact your local area Medicaid office immediately and let them know. If you let them know they can contact your Medicaid doctor for you and make sure the doctor will provide an interpreter. To find your local area Medicaid office you need to go to www.mymedicaid-florida.com and click on the county you live in. This will give you the phone number for the Medicaid office to call. You must call the office in your county.
When you call your local Medicaid office to tell them your doctor will not provide an interpreter please have 3 things ready: 1. your Medicaid number, 2. the name and address of the Medicaid doctor who will not provide an interpreter, 3. the date that you called the doctor asking for the interpreter when he or she said no.
This process is ONLY, and we repeat only for deaf people on Medicaid in Florida. Please do not call if you do not receive Medicaid, the office will not be able to help you.
If you do call your local Medicaid office, as we have told you to do, and the Medicaid office has not called you back within three business days or refuses to help you at all please contact Attorney Sharon Caserta at sharon.caserta@jaxlegalaid.org or videophone 904-245-1121.
The Florida Association of the Deaf, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, The Deaf Service Centers Association and Florida Legal Services Inc plan to begin working with Medicare , and possibly the private insurance companies to help set up a similar system. Once an easier process has been created for deaf people who get Medicare or private insurance we will let you know.
Please share this vlog with others in Florida.
Thank you.
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| Updated Medicaid Office Contact Info |
List of Medicaid Area Office Contacts, for Medicaid Beneficiaries Who Need Accommodations to access Medicaid Services | | |
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| Copyright (C) 2012. All rights reserved. | Florida Association of the Deaf Monday, May 13, 2013 |
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