How Did Day Two In Washington DC Go And Who Is He Meeting With At The White House Tomorrow? Find out from Supervisor Knabe
Supervisor Knabe presents Congresswoman Judy Chu a plaque celebrating the goal of creating 10,000 temporary jobs in Los Angeles County. Highest on the priority list this week has been encouraging lawmakers to extend the funding that pays for the 10,000 Jobs Program, keeping thousands of workers in their new jobs for one more year.
Congressmen Waxman and Berman meet with County leaders to discuss how healthcare reform will impact County residents and how it will impact County hospitals to the tune of $900 million.
DAY ONE | MAY 4, 2010
Supervisor Don Knabe Leads Los Angeles County Legislative Trip to Washington, D.C.
Day One in Washington, D.C. is complete, with County leaders working on issues ranging from healthcare reform, to local impacts of immigration, to the role dredging has on protect public safety of the County’s coastline. In the first of our DC updates, Supervisor Knabe and County leaders dig into the issues and explain the impact the issues have of the lives of every County resident.
How is Supervisor Knabe working for you in Washington, D.C.?
Listen to Supervisor Knabe below talk about his priorities when he meets with Federal leaders about improving Los Angeles County over the next several days:
TANF-ECF a big acronym with even bigger impacts for County residents. Its part of the recovery and stimulus program and Los Angeles County leaders have used it to create thousands of temporary jobs locally. But it’s a program that is about the end and it could take these jobs with it. Learn what the County is doing to keep the jobs going when leaders meet in Washington, D.C. this week.
Philip Browning, Director of the Department of Public Social Services Explains here.
Los Angeles County leaders explain the $900 million impact of a Medicaid waiver and what it means for County residents here.
How does one simple fee have a $137 million impact on how Los Angeles County operates your public hospitals and clinics? Health Services Interim Director John Schunhoff explains here why and why county leaders are in DC advocating for a hospital provider fee.
What’s on the agenda for tomorrow? Click here for list of many of the meeting Supervisor Knabe and County leaders have planned:
MAY 4 - 6, 2010
Supervisor Don Knabe Leads Los Angeles County Legislative Trip to Washington, D.C.
Supervisor Don Knabe will be in Washington, D.C. May 4 - 6, 2010, meeting with federal leaders to urge the approval of a new Medicaid Waiver that will help Los Angeles County implement health care reform, and seek passage of legislation that will provide hundreds of millions of dollars in local fiscal relief, and the creation of tens of thousands of jobs across the region.
Knabe will also be advocating for the continuation of the C-17 program at Boeing’s Long Beach Plant, and working to secure additional funding for dredging in Marina del Rey. Click to download the briefing.
The County urges the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to approve California’s Medicaid Waiver request which will help the County health care delivery system to prepare to implement health care reform. California’s current Medicaid Waiver, which is set to expire on August 31st, provides $900 million in annual financial assistance to the County’s public health care safety-net system.
Approve a Provider Fee for Public & Private Hospitals
Seeking to stabilize public hospital financing, an agreement was negotiated in 2009 that would enable the State to fund new supplemental payments to hospitals that serve Medicaid patients by imposing a new Hospital Provider Fee that would be used to attract federal matching funds. The County is requesting immediate approval of this fee, which is still under consideration by CMS. Los Angeles County’s public health care safety-net system would receive $137 million annually in sorely needed funding.
Extend the Temporary Increase in the Federal Match Rate for Medicaid, Foster Care and Adoption Assistance for Six Months
It is essential that Federal jobs legislation currently being considered by Congress include significant fiscal relief, through an extension of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) temporary increase in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage rate. The County is asking Congress for a six-month extension through June 30, 2011, which would reduce the County’s share of Medicaid, foster care and adoption costs by roughly $170 million.
The $5 billion Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF) is another critically important fiscal relief and job creation tool. Known locally as the 10,000 Jobs Program, this fund has enabled the County to place thousands of youth and unemployed low-income adults into subsidized jobs.
Besides using TANF ECF to already create well over 10,000 youth and adults jobs, the County will also use the fund to implement a 2010 summer youth employment program, which could provide subsidized jobs to more than 15,000 low-income and foster youth. The County will be urging Congress to extend this program, with increased funding, for an additional year.
SCAAP reimburses the County’s costs of incarcerating undocumented illegal immigrants. Inadequate SCAAP funding has resulted in the County being reimbursed for far less than it spends. In FFY 2010, SCAAP was funded at $330 million – far below its authorized funding level of $950 million. Every dollar spent by the County on jailing undocumented criminal aliens not reimbursed by SCAAP means a dollar less that can be spent on other essential public safety services.
Supervisor Knabe can be reached in Washington, D.C. through David Sommers, (213) 453-6446, or dsommers@bos.lacounty.gov
The Board of Supervisors travel to Washington, D.C. for their annual legislative meetings with federal leaders. Pictured here, Supervisors, plus Sheriff Lee Baca meet with Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard.
How Did Day Two In Washington DC Go And Who Is He Meeting With At The White House Tomorrow? Find out from Supervisor Knabe
Day One in Washington, D.C. is complete, with County leaders working on issues ranging from healthcare reform, to local impacts of immigration, to the role dredging has on protect public safety of the County’s coastline. In the first of our DC updates, Supervisor Knabe and County leaders dig into the issues and explain the impact the issues have of the lives of every County resident.
Supervisor Don Knabe will be in Washington, D.C. May 4 - 6, 2010, meeting with federal leaders to urge the approval of a new Medicaid Waiver that will help Los Angeles County implement health care reform, and seek passage of legislation that will provide hundreds of millions of dollars in local fiscal relief, and the creation of tens of thousands of jobs across the region. 
