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Understanding Public Comments:
This page empowers you to understand, prepare, and submit effective public comments, ensuring your voice shapes policies affecting individuals with disabilities and their families.
Table of Contents:
What are Public Comments?
What are Public Comments?
Public input matters. It shapes the services that impact individuals with disabilities and their families. Whether you’re a waiver participant, caregiver, provider, or advocate—this is your chance to make your voice heard.
A public comment is feedback on a proposed government action—such as a new rule or policy—before it’s finalized. It’s a chance to share your perspective, raise concerns, ask questions, or suggest changes.
Anyone can comment. You don’t need to be a lawyer, policymaker, or expert. You also don’t have to know every detail of the proposal. Your lived experience, ideas, and concerns are valuable. Comments can be as short as one sentence or as detailed as you like—what matters is that your voice is part of the record.
Public comments become part of the official record agencies must consider, and they are legally required to review and respond. Strong records can also influence the outcome if a policy is challenged in court.
What Happens After You Submit a Comment?
What Happens After You Submit a Comment?
Submitting a public comment might feel like a small step—but it’s part of a much bigger process.
Here’s what typically happens next:
Your comment is officially logged and reviewed.
The agency in charge of the proposal—such as the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) or Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS)—receives your comment and adds it to the public record. This record becomes part of the history of the proposal.Comments are sorted and analyzed.
Agencies often group similar comments together and look for recurring concerns, questions, or ideas. This helps identify which parts of the proposal are causing the most confusion or opposition, and which suggestions might improve it.The agency considers possible changes.
Public input is weighed alongside research, legal requirements, and budget constraints. If many people raise the same issue or a single comment presents a strong case, the agency may revise the proposal before moving it forward.A public report or summary is prepared.
In many cases, agencies publish a “response to comments” or summary explaining how feedback was considered and what changes—if any—were made. Even if they don’t adopt your suggestion, they must show they reviewed it.The final decision is made.
Once the proposal is approved, the agency issues a final rule or policy. This includes an effective date and details on how it will be implemented.Your comment leaves a lasting mark.
Even if no immediate change happens, your comment remains in the public record. Lawmakers, advocates, and even courts can reference it in the future—making your voice part of the long-term policy conversation.
Even if your comment isn’t individually addressed, it still matters. Lawmakers and state officials look at the volume and content of feedback to guide decisions.
Your voice helps shape policies that affect real lives. Keep speaking up.
Why Do Public Comments Matter?
Why Do Public Comments Matter?
Even If Nothing Changes… Your Comment Still Matters
Not all public comments lead to immediate changes—but that doesn’t mean they don’t have power. However, your input has a powerful and lasting impact in several key ways:
It Builds Your Influence. Specific feedback based on your personal experience is powerful. Agencies take notice of detailed, thoughtful comments, which can prompt them to revise or clarify their proposals.
It Creates a Collective Voice. When individuals, families, and providers all speak up, their comments create a public record that clearly shows the full scope of community concern. This collective impact is hard to ignore.
It Sends a Strong Message. A large number of comments on the same topic sends a clear, immediate signal to decision-makers. It shows public pressure and makes them aware of how many people are paying attention—even if they don't change the policy right away.
It Shapes Future Policy. Agencies often review past comments when they start drafting new proposals. Your voice today can directly influence a better outcome for a future policy.
It Provides a Foundation for Legal Action. If a rule is ever challenged in court, your comment becomes part of the official evidence. Judges examine whether the agency properly reviewed and responded to public input.
📝 Whether it’s one sentence or a full page, your input matters. Even if nothing changes today, your comment could help change tomorrow.
Where Can I Find Opportunities to Give Input?
Where Can I Find Opportunities to Give Input?
Public input is critical for shaping Medicaid and disability policy. To make sure your voice is heard, you need to know where and when to submit your feedback. Public comment notices are often posted on state agency websites, and most comment periods are short—often just 30 days.
Here are a few websites that you may find public input opportunities for proposed rules, waiver changes, and service updates to help you stay on top of new proposals and deadlines
Family Solutions Home Care – Policy & Waiver Input:
Stay informed about Medicaid waiver changes, proposed policies, and public input opportunities that affect families and caregivers.
🔗View Our Public Comment Alerts
Public Comment Sites & State Agency Resources:
We've compiled the most relevant opportunities and tools in one place, making it easier for you to find where to give input.
🔗 Explore Current Input Opportunities and Key Website Resources.
Within this resource, you will find:
👉Top of the page: Currently open public comment opportunities that we've highlighted, focused on Medicaid and disability policy changes.
👉Bottom of the page: Official state agency links where you can find additional proposals, track future changes, and subscribe to updates yourself.
Stay Ahead of Deadlines
Most public comment windows are short. To ensure you don't miss an opportunity, we recommend these strategies:
Check key websites monthly: Make it a habit to visit the official sites where new proposals are posted.
Subscribe to official agency updates: Sign up for email lists or newsletters from state agencies to receive announcements directly.
Follow trusted advocacy groups: Many organizations share news about comment periods on social media.
Ask your case manager or provider: They often receive official announcements and can forward them to you.
How Can I Be Notified of Future Opportunities?
How Can I Be Notified of Future Opportunities?
Want to stay informed about waiver changes,
public comment periods, and policy updates?
Here are simple ways to make sure you don’t miss important opportunities to speak up or stay involved:
📌 Check Our Website First
📌 Check Our Website First
We maintain an up-to-date list of upcoming public comment periods, waiver changes, and policy updates — along with direct links to the official websites where opportunities are posted. It’s an easy, one-stop resource to help you stay informed.
For best results, check at least once a week so you don’t miss short, 30-day comment windows.
📬 Subscribe for Email Alerts
📬 Subscribe for Email Alerts
You can receive notifications directly by subscribing to updates from state agencies.
These may include:
🧩 Community-Based Alerts
🧩 Community-Based Alerts
Advocacy organizations and provider agencies often share comment opportunities, including:
Local councils, self-advocacy groups, or waiver support networks
🗣️ Public Engagement Opportunities
🗣️ Public Engagement Opportunities
Look for invitations to join:
Stakeholder forums
Listening sessions
Medicaid managed care feedback groups
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) advisory panels
These events are often posted on state websites, sent via email lists, or shared through provider agencies.
What Should I Say in a Comment?
What Should I Say in a Comment?
A comment can be as brief as a sentence, address specific aspects, or respond to all aspects of a proposed regulation.
Write a Strong Public Comment in 6 Simple Steps
Introduce yourself (1 line)
“I’m a small‑town pharmacist in Indiana and this rule affects my daily workflow.”
Point to the exact text:
Quote or cite the page / section / line you’re discussing.
Example: “Section II‑B, page 8, lines 12‑18.”
Explain the real‑world impact:
How will this rule help or hurt you, your business, your family, or your community?
Back it up:
Add a data point, study, cost estimate, or a short personal story that proves your point.
Suggest a clear fix:
Example: “Replace ‘must submit weekly’ with ‘must submit monthly’ to cut paperwork in half.”
Wrap up in one sentence:
Restate your main point and your recommended change.
Copy these steps into your draft, check each box, and your comment will hit the mark—whether the rule is federal, state, or local.
Quick Tips
Answer the agency’s own questions listed in the proposal.
Be specific—details carry more weight than “I oppose this.”
Stay respectful & on‑topic—tone matters.
Cite your sources (even a simple link or report title).
Omit private info—comments become part of the public record.
✅ Real Wins from Public Feedback
✅ Real Wins from Public Feedback
Public comments aren’t just a formality—they have the power to stop harmful policies, improve weak proposals, and push forward real solutions.
When people speak up in large numbers, agencies and lawmakers notice. History is full of examples where proposed rules looked like a done deal—until public comments turned the tide. Sometimes the changes are small but meaningful; other times, they completely reshape the proposal or stop it altogether.
These victories happen because ordinary people—parents, caregivers, providers, and community members—took the time to share their stories, point out problems, and suggest better solutions.
Here are a few moments when public comments made a real difference:
1. Indiana Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) Reforms (2023)
1. Indiana Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) Reforms (2023)
When Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) announced plans to end Attendant Care for legally responsible individuals (LRIs), families were told to transition to Structured Family Caregiving (SFC). The proposed structure, however, raised immediate concerns:
Loss of Skilled Respite: Families caring for individuals with complex medical needs feared losing access to skilled nursing respite—a service essential for preventing caregiver burnout and avoiding institutional placement.
Lack of Flexibility: The original SFC design was overly rigid, failing to account for the diverse needs and living situations of caregiving families.
Insufficient Compensation: Caregivers were alarmed by low proposed pay rates, which threatened the sustainability of care and risked workforce shortages.
Public Comment Outcomes:
Thanks to organized advocacy and powerful public input:
✅ Skilled Respite Preserved: FSSA revised its policy to explicitly allow skilled respite for SFC participants, ensuring medically fragile individuals could stay at home with proper support.
✅ Legislative Action for Fair Pay: Lawmakers passed House Bill 1120, requiring FSSA to establish a minimum "pass-through" rate so that family caregivers receive a fair portion of Medicaid funding.
These wins show how targeted public comments can reshape policy to reflect the needs of families and ensure long-term sustainability.
2. National Victory: Withdrawal of the Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule (MFAR) (2020)
2. National Victory: Withdrawal of the Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule (MFAR) (2020)
In 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed the Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule (MFAR), which would have severely limited how states fund their share of Medicaid—threatening billions in healthcare funding.
The Risks:
🛑 Massive Medicaid Cuts: MFAR could have cost states billions in federal matching funds.
🛑 Service Reductions: Less funding would likely mean reduced benefits, provider rate cuts, or stricter eligibility.
🛑 State Budget Chaos: The rule disrupted long-standing funding tools, placing extreme strain on state budgets.
Public Comment Outcomes:
Public Comment Outcomes:
Tens of thousands of individuals, providers, state officials, and advocacy groups submitted comments opposing the rule. In 2020, CMS officially withdrew MFAR, citing overwhelming public feedback. This was a landmark reversal—proof that when the public unites around a common concern, even high-level federal rules can be stopped.
3. Local Wins: Zoning and Land-Use Decisions
3. Local Wins: Zoning and Land-Use Decisions
Public comments matter at the local level too, where land-use policies shape daily life.
Examples:
🌳 Protecting Green Space: Residents often submit comments opposing rezoning efforts that threaten parks or natural areas. Public pressure has led to project redesigns, added environmental protections, or outright denial of development requests.
🏘️ Regulating Short-Term Rentals: As platforms like Airbnb grew, many communities struggled with noise, parking, and rising rents. Comments from neighbors and local businesses helped shape policies around licensing, occupancy, quiet hours, and enforcement.
These local victories show how everyday people can shape the future of their neighborhoods through focused, timely public input.
Public Comment Outcomes:
Public Comment Outcomes:
These stories illustrate the power of public comment—from stopping national regulations and shaping state law to protecting community spaces. Public feedback has led to:
✅ Rewrites of harmful policy language
✅ New legal protections for caregivers
✅ Complete withdrawal of damaging federal rules
✅Shifts in how entire communities manage housing and development
These examples show how public comments can lead to real, measurable results—from changes in language to full policy reversals.
🗣️ Even one voice can highlight an issue. Many voices create change.
Read Our Current & Past Public Comments
Read Our Current & Past Public Comments
These changes are still open for public comment. I’m sharing what I’ve said—and why.
Public comments are most powerful when we work together. I'm sharing my feedback on proposed Medicaid waivers and disability policies—along with my reasoning—to help you craft your own.
These pages have been organized so you can easily view our public comment entries.
Current items are still open for public input, and I hope my examples give you the confidence to speak up as well.
▶️ Read Current Comments
▶️ Browse Past Submissions
Need Help? Contact Us.
Need Help? Contact Us.
Have Questions or Want Help with Your Comment?
We’re here to help families and providers understand the process and take action.
📱 Call or Text: 260-209-4404
📧 Email: info@FamilySolutionsCares.com
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