Local funding source provides life-changing communication device for young boy
posted on January 1, 2009 - 3:39pm
In Pearland, Texas, Connie Guinn worked tirelessly for several months to gain access to a speech-generating device for her son Benjamin, 6, who has myotubular (centronuclear) myopathy.
With the exception of making noises and sounds, Benjamin was nonverbal. Guinn had tried to help her son learn sign language without much success.
Tips to strengthen your case for coverage of power mobility devices
posted on November 1, 2008 - 10:24am
Getting insurance coverage for a power wheelchair shouldn’t be a struggle. But Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance denials are not uncommon, especially when high-tech features like tilt-and-recline, seat elevators, power leg lifts and standing features are added.
But as the sports experts often say, a strong defense wins championships.
posted on November 1, 2008 - 5:38pm
Find help when challenging insurance companies for coverage of complex power mobility devices.
A co-op model of care for adult children
posted on December 31, 2009 - 1:00am
In the 1980s, our worlds changed forever, when our separate families each received the devastating news that our children had Duchenne muscular dystrophy. At the time of the diagnosis, we were told our boys probably would live into their mid-teens, or possibly early 20s.
Well, here we are — it’s 2010 and our boys are still here. Jason (Adele’s son), Patrick and David range in age from 24 to 30....
Even in tough times, this self-directed service option is giving Medicaid consumers more flexibility and saving states money
posted on March 12, 2010 - 2:30pm
Cash and Counseling, a government program that gives Medicaid recipients in 15 states direct control over their personal-care spending, has been so successful that a majority of states are now adopting it or similar programs. A new report tells why and how.
Funds from the Affordable Care Act are now available in most states to help people move out of, or avoid, institutional care
posted on May 6, 2011 - 3:38pm
The federal government is moving ahead with plans to expand access to home and community based services for individuals who receive Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced in April that $3.7 billion in federal funds will be made available to implement the Community First Choice Option, a provision of the new health care law (the Affordable Care Act) which...
posted on December 31, 2009 - 1:12am
Chad McCruden, 36, of Owing Mills, Md., has Friedreich’s ataxia. He was laid off in May 2009 from his job as a work incentive specialist at an independent living center.
McCruden applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits in June, was approved late in October and received his first check in December (plus five months’ worth of retroactive benefits).
A state rehabilitation program remodeled my bathroom — and my life
posted on March 31, 2011 - 11:44am
I never thought I would be so excited about getting a new toilet, sink and shower. But my new fully wheelchair-accessible bathroom has made such a difference in my life, my attitude and my outlook that I can truly say this makeover has been a life-changing event.
More than 10 years ago, I received a diagnosis of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease). Over the years, I’ve...
Officials learn from MDA panel about improving access to higher education, employment and independent living for people with disabilities
posted on September 28, 2011 - 5:31pm
When Angela Wrigglesworth, who has spinal muscular atrophy and uses a power chair, first started college at Texas A&M, she planned to be a business major.
Getting to the business school, however, involved crossing a set of train tracks, and one day, Wrigglesworth’s chair got struck on the tracks.
Wrigglesworth received help from bystanders to free her 300-pound chair before a train came...
posted on July 1, 2009 - 2:34pm
Who doesn’t love recess? Remember those school days … you sat at your desk with your feet dangling from your chair, dreaming of the moment when the teacher would let you and your friends go to recess? Rain or shine, you got a well-deserved break from your daily routine, and you made the most of every second of it.
