Ivan,
Keep asking for the legal basis, in writing, for the new assessment.
You stated in your letter that you thought that the agency could review you
as to whether you needed more or less hours of care; this review probably
would involve an assessment of you. Also check to see if your continued care
is based upon periodic assessments, such as yearly assessments, which are
independent of your appeal. See if you can't get your attorney from the
appeal (or another attorney from your Maine agency) involved in this in some
way; she might be able to get some of the pressure off of you, delay the
assessment and/or clarify the situation for you. Remember the federal
government's stated policy is to keep you in the least restrictive
environment which would usually be your home with services provided. (You
might do a cost comparison between the cost of a month's stay in local
nursing homes and the cost of a month's care for you at home with the optimal
level of home care services provided.) Hang tough, and don't let the bedbugs
bite. Katie.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn
