Medicaid Waiver Program: What's Wrong?
What is wrong with the Medicaid Waiver Program for respite? Where do I start. Let's see, first of all it is almost impossible to receive the Medicaid Waiver Program because they recently changed it to a lottery type system now. First off you have to apply and do the paper work with the organization that is handling your area. Then you wait and wait (forever) because they made it a lottery type system now in order for your name to be picked. I am sure it is faster if you happen to know someone in order for your name to be called (Illinois politics!!!). The purpose of this program is to be based on need in order for the parent or guardian to receive it; like income, divorce and severity and needs of the child or adult and not who you know. The Medicaid Wavier Program was started to give parents or guardians respite help in their homes and to help keep the child or adult in the home and not in an institution.
Recently, I was asked by an Illinois senator who was assigned to review the Medicaid Wavier Program to discuss its pro's and con's. I was lucky enough to have this Medicaid Wavier Program for my daughter Candace before they changed it to the lottery based system now. I do not want to only like the Medicaid Wavier Program, I want to love it!! My purpose is to help other parents to receive it and make Illinois a better place to live for autism.
Faith, Love & Hope,
Sandy
Medicaid Waiver Programs
Sandy,
I'm surprised that the disability organizations in your state have not come together to address legislators about this. Medicaid Waivers should be provided by need to those who need it, not by the luck of the draw per se.
I think if you were to get enough families in a room with a couple of legislators that could see what the costs would be without the needed services.....that may wake them up. Otherwise I'd go the route some other states have to eliminate lists...ban together and work toward a class action.
Waiting lists are illegal in the sense that two folks with equal needs are not getting the same. Why? Folks need to start asking that simple question in my mind.
Best wishes and keep up the great work.
Carolyn
Thank You. Your right!! It
Thank You. Your right!! It will be very hard to change things in Illinois!! A lot of corruption here. But, I am trying.
All of it...
Besides the impossible amount of paperwork? The 2-4 year waiting list in VA is a problem.
medicaid waiver programs
There is a very long waitlist for it now in CO as well. We rely on the community centered board to help pay for our biggest expense, behavioral therapy. CO just passed a bill requiring insurance co's to pay for this therapy for autistic patients, but I don't know what the exceptions and terms are. It would be a huge burden lifted from the dept. of developmental disabilities if insurance companies paid for this essential therapy. We were dropped from our ccb because of tightened requirements, but were reinstated after challenging them in court (talk about paperwork!) Basically, they keep narrowing the requirements because they don't have the money to go around. It is a sad situation.