Every year, traumatic brain injury (TBI) (injury to the brain or skull caused by an external force) results in more than 2,000 deaths, 19,000 hospital admissions, and over 100,000 emergency department visits in New York, as reported by the Department of Health. Thousands of New Yorkers, young and old alike, live with brain injury and its consequences, including complex and unique cases in which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms may not have been noticed at first or weren't considered "traumatic" at the time of injury. While many of these patients receive health care services in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, the Brain Injury Association of America states that it is likely that some portion of individuals are not diagnosed or evaluated for services from which they could benefit. Emerging science on brain injury - its prevalence, causes, and effects - complicates the picture even further.

New York's Medicaid "TBI Waiver" program provides Medicaid services in the home for individuals who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. The Department of Health recently agreed to delay the transition of TBI Waiver services from fee-for-service to managed care until January 1, 2017, and to form a work group to discuss this transition. Advocates, providers, and legislators called for this delay to ensure adequacy and appropriateness of services for this population.

The Committees are seeking oral and written testimony from patients and their families, clinicians, service providers, and the Department on topics including the incidence, severity and consequences of TBI; treatment and service appropriateness and availability, including the rights of patients sent out-of-state; and issues relating to the transition of the TBI Waiver program to managed care.

Oral testimony is by invitation only. Persons wishing to be invited to testify at the hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form by October 1, 2015. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation of the hearing. Persons who do not testify in person may submit written testimony.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes. All testimony will be under oath. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate receiving prepared statements in advance.

Please inform interested parties and organizations of the hearing.

In order to meet the needs of those with a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

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Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Services are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible, but no later than close of business Thursday, October 1, and mail, email or fax it to: