Now What?

With Friday's announcement from FSSA, freezing OASIS allocations until further notice, there has been a lot of cheering and celebrating from consumers and providers alike. I must admit that I reacted in much the same way. We all must realize, however, that this is the beginning of the process, not the result.

I am still fully convinced that, even without an official requirement, uniform rates are a necessary component of any well-run system. I have no doubt that, whatever changes are made to OASIS, it will include this methodology. The dollar amounts must also be something that is predictable to the state, so that they will know how to budget and how to project expenditures into the future. This predictive system must be based on what is anticipated, however, rather than what is automatically allocated as a maximum amount that could be expended. The latest model is a good example of why this is necessary, as it dramatically increased allocations to people that have no intention of using them. These over-allocations could have been used as a pool for those who have needs beyond what their current allocation will support.

Any new system must also be flexible enough to allow consumers to maintain the supports and services that have been long-term parts of their plan. By submitting their current schedule of services, information on how often they deviate from that schedule, and if there are any preferences or needs that the consumer feels are critical, we can have a better picture of the consumer/family expectations PRIOR to the allocation decision.

Finally, an allocation system must be transparent to avoid the problems and criticisms surrounding the original OASIS model. If there have been errors in assumptions made, providers are more likely to be able to determine where those errors lie, in that they can compare specific individuals to specific assumptions over time.

Beyond that, I really have very little more in the way of ideas. Without knowing what was originally attempted, the necessary parameters, and the assumptions made, any suggestion would come from a position of ignorance. I am sure however, that any provider, consumer, guardian, or advocate would agree with me that we are willing to discuss options and provide feedback to whatever comes next.