Gracie's turn!
I've snapped a couple of pretty adorable pictures lately so I decided I'd better share them before they're completely out of date.
Everyone else is doing great too. It's kind of hectic around here, with neighborhood kids roaming in and out of the house all day long, but we're getting used to it. The boys definitely like having all their friends within walking distance and of course we like to go swimming a lot now that it's so hot.
Anyway, have a great Fourth of July!!
Laurie
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Waiver Update
Just a quickie update to let you know I do have some more information about Sean's waiver and so far so good. When I asked the DHS lady about it a few days after my last post, she said "Well, the doctor has the paperwork so we'll just proceed as if it's approved and go from there." So that seemed kind of encouraging. She also gave me the numbers for some respite care providers and I have a meeting with one of them and our new DHS worker set up for next Tuesday. I'm kind of excited to be able to use respite again!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Prayer Request
Sean has had Medicaid off and on ever since he was born, and for the past two years he's qualified for a "Ill/Handicapped Waiver" which is what paid for all his respite care in Cedar Rapids and also gets him Medicaid (Title XIX.) We last had him evaluated last summer and the DHS worker that came to our house and interviewed me happened to know us personally (she went to school with Mark) and she already knew Sean's whole story so I think that may have influenced her decision to make sure we got that waiver.
Unfortunately ever since moving to Warren County we have had a very difficult time getting anyone here to get us the services we need and we haven't had any respite care since last July (we're supposed to use a certain number of hours per quarter but I can't ever get the DHS here to call me back.) Anyway, somebody's supervisor at the DHS in Des Moines finally called the other day and said it's time to re-evaluate Sean but they've changed the way they do it now and we have to send the paperwork to the doctors instead of just asking me about what he can and can't do.
Last year they said just having a transplant doesn't make him qualify for the waiver, because lots of kids have transplants. What makes Sean "special" is his (lack of) independant toileting. She asked me about how many accidents he has per day, how much does he clean up himself vs. how much I help him clean up, stuff like that, and unfortunately he's kind of improved since last year and I don't have any idea what his doctors might say he can or cannot do! We only see them 3-4 times a year and I don't know what they'll say. Our family currently spends about $200/month in prescription costs for the rest of the family and if Sean loses his Medicaid coverage it would be more like $400 - $500, something we definitely can't afford.
Anyway, I would really appreciate your prayers over the next week or two, as the doctors at the UI receive the paperwork and send it back, and the DHS in Des Moines makes a decision as to whether or not Sean should continue to receive this waiver. As far as I know, this was our last option so if he doesn't qualify anymore, I don't think there's any other program we can get him on. He does have regular insurance and our income is too high to get regular Medicaid. Some states have various programs for medically-needy kids (like the Katie Beckett law, etc.) but Iowa isn't one of them.
I will let you all know as soon as I hear something but we would really appreciate your prayers!
Thank you!
Laurie
Unfortunately ever since moving to Warren County we have had a very difficult time getting anyone here to get us the services we need and we haven't had any respite care since last July (we're supposed to use a certain number of hours per quarter but I can't ever get the DHS here to call me back.) Anyway, somebody's supervisor at the DHS in Des Moines finally called the other day and said it's time to re-evaluate Sean but they've changed the way they do it now and we have to send the paperwork to the doctors instead of just asking me about what he can and can't do.
Last year they said just having a transplant doesn't make him qualify for the waiver, because lots of kids have transplants. What makes Sean "special" is his (lack of) independant toileting. She asked me about how many accidents he has per day, how much does he clean up himself vs. how much I help him clean up, stuff like that, and unfortunately he's kind of improved since last year and I don't have any idea what his doctors might say he can or cannot do! We only see them 3-4 times a year and I don't know what they'll say. Our family currently spends about $200/month in prescription costs for the rest of the family and if Sean loses his Medicaid coverage it would be more like $400 - $500, something we definitely can't afford.
Anyway, I would really appreciate your prayers over the next week or two, as the doctors at the UI receive the paperwork and send it back, and the DHS in Des Moines makes a decision as to whether or not Sean should continue to receive this waiver. As far as I know, this was our last option so if he doesn't qualify anymore, I don't think there's any other program we can get him on. He does have regular insurance and our income is too high to get regular Medicaid. Some states have various programs for medically-needy kids (like the Katie Beckett law, etc.) but Iowa isn't one of them.
I will let you all know as soon as I hear something but we would really appreciate your prayers!
Thank you!
Laurie
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