Without this program, up to 500 children with the highest levels of medical complexity in Illinois will lose their home nursing care and other additional medically necessary services, forcing most of them to live permanently in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. This program provides these children with home nursing care, at 1/3 the cost of permanent hospitalization.

Virtually every state in the US has a program to assist children who are extraordinarily medically complex and have catastrophic medical expenses, regardless of their family income. Many of these children are on ventilators, have IV lines, or have other medical technologies. Many have private insurance, but their insurance policies do not cover private duty nursing. This program provides them with dignity and independence, allowing them to live at home with their families by providing them with home nursing care and other Medicaid benefits.

If this program is eliminated, many of these children will only be eligible for Medicaid if they live in a hospital or skilled nursing facility. If they live at home, they will no longer be eligible for Medicaid, even though it is less expensive to care for them at home. Families will be forced to make tough decisions, such as choosing to permanently hospitalize their children, quitting their jobs to become financially eligible for Medicaid, or giving up custody of their children. No family should ever be forced to make these decisions.

Please encourage your Illinois state senators and representatives to treat these children and their families with dignity by continuing the Illinois Medicaid waiver for children who are medically fragile and technology dependent.

Visit http://www.SaveMFTDWaiver.com for more information.