Happy Spring! We are halfway through April, with beautiful weather upon us – there’s so much to look forward to! Below is some useful information that we hope you can take advantage of. | |
NYRx, The Medicaid Pharmacy Program | |
Beginning April 1, 2023, all Medicaid members in Mainstream Managed Care started receiving their prescription drugs through NYRx, the Medicaid Pharmacy Program.
NYRx system updates have been made as of, April 4, at 12pm EST. If a claim was submitted between 4/1/2023-4/4/2023 and a rejection was received, please resubmit the claim to NYRx. Additional updates and information will be shared as available.
For assistance with enrollment, billing, or ePACES, please contact the eMedNY Call Center:
eMedNY Call Center
Phone: 1-800-343-9000
Hours: Monday – Friday 7 AM – 10 PM;
Saturday – Sunday 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM Eastern Time
Website: https://www.emedny.org/nyrx
For assistance with prior authorizations, please contact the Magellan Clinical Call Center:
Magellan Clinical Call Center
Phone:1-877-309-9493
Hours: Daily. 24 hours.
Website: https://newyork.fhsc.com
| |
Hudson Valley Lego Store Helps People with Special Needs | |
Photo Credit: Brick It Again |
“Brick It Again” is a new Lego resale store in Valley Cottage that provides workers with developmental challenges to learn new job skills. This opportunity is available thanks to Randi Rios-Castro, the CEO of Jawonio, a non-profit organization services provider in both Rockland and Westchester counties dedicated to advancing the independence, well-being, and equality of people with special needs.
The store is located at 7 Lake Ridge Plaza in Valley Cottage and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. To learn more, click HERE.
| |
Update to Social Security Overpayment Waiver Process | |
A recent change to the process of requesting waiver of a Social Security overpayment will make waivers more accessible by using a higher margin when calculating a person’s expenses to determine whether repayment would be a financial hardship.
Part of the process to request an overpayment waiver is proving that it would be a financial hardship for the individual to repay the overpayment. The overpayment waiver form asks for the individual’s income and expenses and then compares whether expenses equal or exceed income. The waiver form previously provided a margin of $25 on expenses, recognizing that every household has some unbudgeted or unaccountable expenses. This new change provides a higher margin of $55. Now, total expenses plus the $55 margin will be compared to total income, giving people more leeway for unexpected expenses. The lower margin had long been challenging for individuals to navigate because $25 did not reflect the reality of current-day household costs.
Though the Social Security Administration has now updated that margin to $55, GN 02250.100 (section D4), the overpayment waiver form has not been updated yet. Regardless, the $55 margin will apply going forward and waiver requests will be processed using the updated margin. This update will make the waiver process more accessible to everyone requesting waiver of an overpayment, by providing a documentation requirement that better reflects current financial realities for older adults and people with disabilities who receive Social Security benefits.
| |
The Westchester Independent Living Center and Putnam Independent Living Center teams love our furbabies! National Pet Day took place on April 11. According to the CDC, “there are many health benefits of owning a pet. They can increase opportunities to exercise, get outside, and socialize. Regular walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Pets can help manage loneliness and depression by giving us companionship.”
In honor of National Pet Day, we shared photos of our companions on our social media channels.
| |
Montefiore Rehab’s 3rd Annual Adaptive Sports Expo
The public is invited to enjoy adaptive tennis, boxing, wheelchair basketball and more.
DATE: Saturday, April 15, 2023
TIME: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
LOCATION: Williamsbridge Oval
3225 Reservoir Oval East, Bronx, NY, 10467
For more details, email Adaptive-Sports@montefiore.org or call 929-285-4493.
| |
Supported Decision Making
Presented by: The Lower Hudson Special Education Task Force
Panelists: Naomi Brickel, M.S.Ed, Project Director, SDMNY, Hunter/CUNY
Janine Belfast, Transition Specialist, WIHD Community Support Network
Karen Rosenthal, Mentor, SDMNY, Hunter/CUNY
DATE: Monday, April 24, 2023,
TIME: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
LOCATION: Zoom
To register, clickHERE. For more information, contact Jessica Baumann at jbaumann@putnamils.org or (845) 228-7457 ext. 1108.
| |
Virtual Resource & Transition Fair
The Putnam County Transition Consortium, Brewster Central School District and Green Chimneys will be holding a virtual Resource and Transition Fair on During the Fair, local agencies will be available to provide information about their programs and services now and into the future for families & students with and IEP or 504 plan. There will also be breakout sessions presented by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and Adult Continuing Career and Education Services (ACCES-VR).
DATE: Monday, April 27, 2023,
TIME: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
LOCATION: Zoom
To register, click HERE. For more information, contact Jessica Baumann at jbaumann@putnamils.org or (845) 228-7457.
| |
2023 Fair and Affordable Housing Expo
Each workshop is offered in English and Spanish.
Topics being covered include: first time home-buying and getting a mortgage; grants for closing costs and down-payment assistance; applying for affordable housing (rental and sales); and rental assistance, eviction prevention and fair housing.
DATE: Saturday, April 29, 2023
TIME: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
LOCATION: Yonkers Riverfront Library
One Larkin Center, Yonkers, NY, 10701
To register, click HERE.
| |
Supporting Patients with Disabilities in Becoming Tobacco-Free
Presented by: The New York State Smoker’s Quitline
The goal of the webinar is to improve clinician understanding of common practices and barriers that impact their relationship with patients who have a disability and use commercial tobacco products.
DATE: Wednesday, May 10, 2023
TIME: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
LOCATION: Zoom
To register, click HERE.
| |
Getting Back to Basics
Guidance and Support for Infant and Toddler Caregivers
The workshop will consist of discussions in behaviors, techniques in resolving behaviors (including specific activities) and recognizing antecedents. Once the lecture is over we will all have the opportunity to break up into groups and utilize the new techniques in various situations and how they could be applied accordingly. Speaker: Tiffinie Helwig, Infant Toddler Specialist, Child Care Council of Dutchess & Putnam, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 10, 2023
TIME: 6:30 pm
LOCATION: Donald B. Smith Government Campus
112 Old Route 6, Carmel, NY, 10512
To register, click HERE. If you have difficulty RSVPing, or have questions, please call Robin Llaque, Putnam Independent Living Services, (845) 228-7457.
| |
Westchester Independent Living Center
10 County Center Road 2nd floor
White Plains, NY 10607
(914) 682-3926 (Voice)
(914) 259-8036 (VP)
(914) 682-8518 (FAX)
contact@wilc.org
| | |
Putnam Independent Living Services
1441 Route 22, Suite 204
(Tompkins Mahopac Bank building)
Brewster, New York 10509
(845) 228-7457 (Voice)
(914) 259-8036 (VP)
(845) 228-7460 (Fax)
contact@putnamils.org
| | | | |