Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Assistance for Independence: The Need for In Home Care

Yesterday, the Fourth of July, was the day that we as a nation celebrated our country's independence. I am personally blessed to have the independence that accompanies being an American; however, as a person with a disability, I see independence in a different light as well. I have independence due to having a wheelchair that gives me the freedom to get to where I need to go; I have independence due to having other technologies -- such as my Mac and iPhone -- that are innovative designs that allow me to access things that I would not be able to otherwise; I have independence due to having Medicaid which provides in home care services that allow me to live a productive life.

In home care allows any person who requires assistance with daily tasks to live in their own home, but it means so much more than that. In home care allows people to not be institutionalized, to hold a job, to come and go when one pleases, to participate in society and to even pay taxes. In home care allows all of these typical daily activities by providing assistance to fulfill everyday needs. These needs include getting up in the morning, going to the bathroom, taking a shower, making and eating meals, going to the grocery store, keeping up with chores and then getting back into bed.

However, those of us on Medicaid were close to temporarily loosing our in home care services. Fortunately, this did not occur. As of last Wednesday morning, the State of Washington settled on a temporary budget for the year. July 1, the budget deadline has rapidly come and gone. If a budget would not have been determined prior to that date,  there would have been a partial government shutdown. This means programs, such as Medicaid, would have halted. Without Medicaid, coverage of in home care would pretty much cease to exist as 99% of in home care coverage that does not come from out of pocket is paid for by Medicaid.

This shutdown would have been a taste of what is to come if the American Health Care Reform Act of 2017 is passed; it will repeal federal funding for Medicaid causing states to make hard choices and in turn eliminating in home care for thousands of people who depend on this service to live their daily life with independence.

Medicaid is already a broken system. Many states do not invest in their in home care services. Instead of proving people with the resources they need to be successful and active members of society, people who need assistance are left to fend for themselves and in turn end up being a burden on society. Even in states with the best Medicaid funding -- such as Washington State -- many people live with the bare minimum care, and even though they can survive that is just it, they are just surviving in order to participate in society an live life. Lots of sacrificing is made even to the point of it being a detriment to one's health. There is also the issue of staffing quality in home caregivers, not to mention staffing caregivers at all (but this is a topic for another time).

Medicaid needs to be reformed; cutting it is not the answer.

Please contact your Senators and express the negative affects that the cuts to Medicaid funding could bring upon the disability community. Medicaid is more than just an insurance plan for low-income families; it is a livelihood for many people who need the assistance to lead independent lives.

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