Tomorrow, a federal judge is scheduled to hear the long-delayed court case challenging the state’s adult day health care transition plan.
Both sides are trying to hash out a compromise settlement. Representatives from Disability Rights California, which filed the suit, and the state Department of Health Care Services met four days last week and may talk again today in an attempt to avoid the all-or-nothing judicial decision.
The state is due to eliminate ADHC as a Medi-Cal benefit on Dec. 1. The lawsuit challenges the efficacy of the transition plan proposed by DHCS to provide necessary care for 35,000 ADHC beneficiaries.
The benefit elimination would close most of the 300 ADHC centers across the state.
Ironically, the annual conference for ADHC center providers starts today in San Diego.
Neither side can discuss any details of the settlement conferences, only that they’ve taken place. But the large number of conferences is a hopeful sign that the issue might be resolved before the federal judge hears the case tomorrow, according to Lydia Missaelides of the California Association of Adult Day Services.
“The fact that they’re still talking is a positive sign,” Missaelides said.
Whether the timing on the CAADS annual conference is good or bad depends on the outcome of the settlement talks and on the judge’s decision tomorrow, she said.
“We’re expecting to get this all resolved by Tuesday, one way or the other,” Missaelides said.
“It looks like we’ll all be together when the news breaks,” she added, “so if it’s good news, it could be pretty wonderful.”
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