On nightly news with Brian Williams he had a story about a young woman forced to live with the elderly in a nursing home.
Haily, a 21 year old born with cerebral palsy did not have family to take care of her. So she was put into a nursing home, because the state of Georgia had cut funding that would have allowed her to live in a group home. Haily has no other disability, she is smart and could with help live a full life. When the economy goes bad it is often those who did not cause the problem who go without.
Thirty years ago Haily's story would not be noteworthy at all, back then horrid hospital like institutions were the norm. Adults and children were neglected and abused while the state paid the doctors and nursing staff twice as much as they would have had to pay to leave these people in their own homes.
The problem is corruption within the Medicaid system. States will often deny benefits for children and adults who want to live at home. They do this because they can charge Medicaid twice as much to live in a nursing home because they are paying for a full time doctor. Most people with disabilities do not require a full time doctor, they are night dying. In Haily's case her story made the paper and she was taken in by a family who may have to pay for all of her expenses on their own. The state of Georgia is threatening to take away the only insurance she can qualify for. There is a group called ADAPT fighting for legislation that would let Medicaid funds follow the person. This would mean that families and individuals could chose for themselves where they want to live.
If the Tea Party and the Republicans repeal health care stories like Haily's will become more common. With the new reforms the family that adopted Haily can add her to their insurance and pay the co pays for her equipment and medical treatment.
The disabled have been fighting since the late 60's for the right to live the lives they chose, sadly states still have the right to take that away from them.
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