The Ocean State Policy Research Institute is pleased to announce Steve Moses as their Fellow on Health Care Policy.
"With the passage of the Global Medicaid Waiver, Rhode Island was released from many of the federal guidelines dictating how we provide tax funded healthcare and the state must now design a system that will be sustainable and productive for our citizens," said William Felkner, president of the Ocean State Policy Research Institute. "The benefits of having an expert of Mr. Moses' caliber to provide research for stakeholders as we navigate this change will be immeasurable."
Mr. Moses has directed numerous national and state-level studies for the federal government, state governments, and private think tanks on Medicaid nursing home eligibility, asset transfers, estate recoveries and long-term care financing.
Moses influenced the content and passage of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which discouraged Medicaid planning abuses and unleashed the LTC Partnership programs. He is credited with having "forged the framework" for the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, which closed many Medicaid eligibility loopholes. He helps state Medicaid programs curtail Medicaid estate planning and encourage private insurance and home equity conversion as alternatives to public welfare financing of long-term care for the middle class and affluent.
"I've dreamed for many years of an opportunity like the one presented now in Rhode Island by this global Medicaid waiver," said Moses. "This state can show what can happen when a state Medicaid program eliminates perverse public policy incentives that have trapped millions in nursing homes on welfare, created the long-term care system's institutional bias, diminished access and quality of care, and created a cottage industry of 'advisors' who overload Medicaid by artificially impoverishing vulnerable elderly clients."
"Rhode Island has taken the bold step of acquiring the waiver because, financially, we simply do not have a choice. Many say our economy is in crisis," said Felkner. "Within this crisis is an opportunity and we are honored that Mr. Moses sees this opportunity and has chosen to work with us to provide research on our health care options."
Mr. Moses has testified before Congress and most of America's state legislatures. His recommendations are quoted often in the national media including the "CBS Evening News," PBS's "Frontline" and "The Financial Advisors," CNN, National Public Radio, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, USA Today, Forbes, The New Republic, Smart Money, National Journal, and Jane Bryant Quinn's syndicated column.
His articles have appeared frequently in distinguished publications like The Gerontologist, The Journal of Accountancy, The Journal of Financial Planning, Contemporary Long-Term Care, Best's Review, National Underwriter, Assisted Living Today and Nursing Homes magazine. He is the author of chapters in several books including "Health and Long-Term Care Insurance" in Clark Boardman Callaghan's legal treatise Advising the Elderly Client, the chapter on long-term care financing in "Age Wave" author Ken Dychtwald's Toward Healthy Aging anthology, and a critique of the long-term care partnerships in a volume which reviews that program. He is also the author of Aging America's Achilles' Heel: Medicaid Long-Term Care which was published by the Cato Institute.
Senior Market Advisor magazine put Steve Moses in its top-ten LTC insurance "Power List" and his picture on its cover. McKnight's Long-Term Care NEWS said Moses is "one of the 100 most influential people in long-term care." Nursing Homes magazine reported "there is probably no more articulate spokesperson for privately financed long term care than Stephen Moses."
"Under a federal waiver similar to the one Rhode Island received for Medicaid, Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson removed perverse incentives in the old AFDC welfare program that trapped generations of young women in poverty," Moses said explaining the national implications of RI's Medicaid Waiver. "President Clinton and Congress "changed welfare as we know it" in 1996 using Thompson's Wisconsin model. Welfare rolls declined by two-thirds saving millions from impoverishment and misery."
"Rhode Island has a similar opportunity," Moses continued. "I am delighted to work with the Ocean State Policy Research Institute so we may provide whatever assistance we can to help Rhode Island change Medicaid as we know it."
Moses received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Highest Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, at the University of California, Davis (1967) and his Master of Arts in Political Science, High Honors, at the University of Maryland, College Park (1971). He and his wife of 43 years were Peace Corp Volunteers in Venezuela from 1968 to 1970.
About OSPRI:
Created in 2007, our work is focused on crafting sound public policy based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, and traditional American values. We offer timely research and analysis on important issues to be shared with elected officials, the media, business leaders, community organizations and individual citizens. In recent months, we have been responsible for such successful projects as the Transparency Train - A public financial and legislative information repository, as well as regular updates published and available on our website and companion blog.
About The Transparency Train:
The Transparency Train Web Portal (www.transparencytrain.org) provides access to a variety of websites designed to present public information in a Google-style searchable format. These sites include:
RI Data which contains every budget, payroll, public employee contract and monthly check register for all cities, towns and school districts in Rhode Island.
RI Votes which is an online database of legislation and voting records.
LRB Watch provides analysis and information on the State Labor Relations Board.
RI Schools is an interactive website that allows viewers to create comparative graphs of school districts plotting various metrics such as cost per student, test scores and the number of employees (coming Spring 2009).
RI Dots will contain a "connect the dots" approach to viewing political and lobbying finances (coming Fall 2009).
Take Action, a "how-to" manual that shows citizens how to file Freedom Of Information Act requests for public information and what to do if they don't comply.
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