5-28-15 long term care-jt. finance committee

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin lawmakers have tweaked Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to expand the state’s Family Care program and wrap the IRIS program into it.  The governor’s budget calls for seeking a federal waiver to allow expanding Family Care, helps people stay out of nursing homes, statewide by Jan. 1, 2017. The budget also calls for eliminating IRIS, a related long-term care program that provides self-directed assistance with bathing, dressing and other needs, and folding those services into Family Care. Advocates for the disabled have balked at the plan. Republicans who control the Legislature’s budget committee introduced an alternative proposal Wednesday that calls for seeking the waiver for statewide expansion but fleshes out how self-directed care would continue without the IRIS moniker.  The committee approved the revised plan 12-4 on Wednesday.