Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Florida Governor cuts Medicaid Budget by15%

More news of budget cuts in Florida may be constantly in the air and nearly mind numbing with all the information there is to absorb.  This past week the Florida Governor applied emergency cuts to the Medicaid programs. (http://apd.myflorida.com/news/news/2011/emergency-rule-filing.pdf ) I can barely take it all in.  15% cuts will be applied across the board... surely there are more appropriate methods.  What I do know is that it is personal to my family.  We feel these cuts in our daily life. We felt it with Medicaid which aids special needs.  Medicaid comes and goes for Riley inexplicably... and is always pulling back and I am certain it is all about preserving their budget.  Please do not attempt to explain why this happens to me, I've heard the simple explanations and in reality no one really grasps this behemoth organization.  All of this is really more than I have energy to go into this morning.  All I know is that Riley's services are increasingly difficult to maintain.

The loss I truly fear is changes to Partners In Care (PIC) which is supported by Medicaid funds.  PIC is a pilot program in Lee, Hendry and Glades counties through Hope Hospice for children with "life altering" illnesses and their families.  They came into our lives when I was truly at the end of my rope.  I had nothing left, this is not an expression, it is a fact.  Their program came in and added services for Riley that helped turn our family around.  As far as I am concerned, they saved my life.  Budget cuts like the one enacted this week may prevent this amazing program from being there for other special needs families.  Yes, it's personal to me.

Below is Riley with his Dad.  They are so beautiful!


Thank you to all those attending the "Tally Rally" in Tallahassee today!  You all do so much for this community.

Easter Seals request: With the help of supporters like you, we are sending a clear message to President Obama that the $50 million funding increase he proposed is appreciated, and that it's essential it stays in the final budget.

1 comment:

Stacie Wiesenbaugh said...

I love my mom and I know she loves me and my family. So, it amazes me how she views our life even when she participates in it so readily and is always there for us. Raised Republican and haven't become a Democrat, I seek balance. I don't believe services should just be handed out and it can certainly be frustrating when some receive them so fully yet Riley and our family never quite qualify. We all know it's an unjust mix of reasons why this happens. These systems clearly need fixing, however having been in the workplace I know simply depriving an organization of money does not improve the way it functions. My Mom simply does not understand that w/ PIC, I would no longer be here. This is not what she heard on talk radio. She seems to forget that I worked my entire adult life in traditional workplaces until events took that away from me and now I am blessed to participate in direct selling through Arbonne. And there is the fact that I spent too much time "on the left coast" that has twisted my mind. How can we be right in fron of each other and understand each other so poorly...