Washington Votes Forum

 New section 10, page 12, 2nd Paragraph  "in addition to coordinating services, the community access manager may also provide special needs transportation services within the designated region." this particular clause puts the community access manager in direct competion with the qualified private providers and allows them to cherry pick trips and to gain a monoply over how trips are parsed out. This allows the community access managers to effectively shut down any competition and drive current providers who have invested heavily in equipment and personnel out of business. Under the current system only the Broker knows what providers rates are but they are not allowed to take trips unless no other option is available. Wording that limits or delineates the circumstances when the community access manager's (CAM) can use their equipment needs to be included in this statement. Under the current State contract with the brokers such wording is included. The current wording in this bill is a threat to the existing special needs providers who have and continue to provide special needs transportation to those in need.

This is the Washington State Legislature and the Department of Transportation at its best!

This is nothing more than a power grab for an ineffective organization that will hurt and not help transportation for the special needs community.  The only thing ACCT has been able to “coordinate” over the past decade is taking credit for others work while spending millions of dollars of taxpayer money.

To dismantle a brokerage system that has been helping millions of Washington State citizens get the proper care they are entitled to for over 20 years makes no sense what so ever.  Not only does this system help millions of people each year across the state, but has proven to also save the state millions of dollars at the same time.

The brokerage system in Washington State is the envy of the country and is held up as a model for best practices when other states want to initiate service to their elderly, disabled and transportation dependent.  This model is the true example of “coordination” and its proven ability to adapt to other uses and continue to save the state millions of dollars should serve to only strengthen the use of the model, not the dismantling of it.  To add more levels of government bureaucracy that will cost the taxpayers more money with a decreased level of service is the height of irresponsibility.

At a time such as these adding costs is nothing short of fiscal irresponsibility to the taxpayers.  This is a time of fiscal restraint and not one of increased spending.

The solution is clear.  Dismantle ACCT and stop wasting taxpayer’s money.  Expanding the brokerage model will help to save taxpayer’s dollars while continuing to improve service to those in need.

 We do not have time to waste in this legislative session.  Critical programs to seniors, children and low income are on the chopping block.  We should not waste anymore precious dollars on reathorizing an agency like the ACCTCouncil. If you look abck at its history, it spends significant dollars justifying its own existence in reports by identifying all kinds of great programs happening in WA Sate that they have nothing to do with!

Lets not waste anymore precious dollars on funding the ACCT Council.  It has a sunset...don't make the mistake of reauthorizing the ACCT Council in new legislation like bill 2072.

Lets be fiscally accountable and put those dollars where they can do good for people! How can we justify anything else?

Please, please will someone with in the Senate review all the fiscal notes now available.  Where is the more than $1.2M suppose to come from?

Why does the state continue to fund ACCT's million dollar budgets with no results and no accountability? 

Please don't let this continue.  

Washington state is already a leader countrywide in Non-Emergent-Medical-Transportation.  If it isn't broke don't mess with it. 

 The more than $1.2 million can come from eliminating the fraud in the Medicaid transportation system. One of the rules for qualifying for Medicaid rides is that one must not have other transportation available. Over the last 7 or 8 years in King County people who used to ride only Access to their medical appointments and programs now ride Medicaid. They still use Access for non medical transportation purposes. These clients have aren't the ones who set up their medical ride - so who's doing it for them? Who's checking the box "no" when asked if they have other transportation? It isn't the rider, but they're riding Access one day and DSHS the next. And they still qualify to ride Access.

I disagree with the Non-Emergent-Medical-Transportation program not being broke - at least, as far as King County is concerned. The drivers work up to 14 hour shifts and most aren't even getting the rest periods and meal periods they are legally entitled to (as per outlined in WAC 296-126-092). At least one company deducts two meal periods from the drivers pay even though they only get one. There is no oversight. Nobody audits the manifests that are sent to the broker monthly. If someone did, there would be proof that the drivers are not getting the rest/meal periods they are legally entitled to - they transport some of the most fragile people in our communities and don't get the rest they need and deserve. How safe is this? How safe are our roads with people driving a 14,000 lb van, driving for up to 14 hours a day, and not getting sufficient breaks and lunches that the law says they deserve?

In King County - it's broke!