Families Like Ours David Schwartz

Managed Care Organizations - in some states, they're already in effect; in others, they are coming down the pipe. We'll get into some of the details about how Managed Care Organizations, or MCOs, work and what they can mean for our families. Then we'll have David's conversation with Illinois State Sen. Dave Koehler, of the 46th District. He'll discuss his work toward preventing MCOs from destroying healthcare in the state. We'll also touch on U.S. HR 620, which looks to devastate the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
As I mentioned, here is the link to the Washington Post op-ed by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). She discusses HR 620 and what it would do to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/congress-is-on-the-offensive-against-americans-with-disabilities/2017/10/17/f508069c-b359-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.f066266e1645
I encourage you to read about the bill more than just this article; but this is a good starting point.

We continue our conversation on the Waivers and begin to touch on Managed Care. Carrie Chapman, who is with Legal Council for Health Justice in Chicago, and is one of 3 attorneys litigating the Waiver-based cases, joins us and describes what’s happening in these cases right now. We’ll also ask her about advocacy from a legal perspective and what that might mean for those of you not in Illinois.
 
If you would like to contact Carrie to discuss the two cases or to talk about your Illinois legislator, you can reach her at:
Caroline Chapman, Director of Policy, Advocacy, and Strategic Innovation
Legal Council for Health Justice
17 N. State, Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60602
cchapman@legalcouncil.org
(312) 605-1981
www.legalcouncil.org | @thelegalcouncil (Twitter)

Many families are able to utilize a Medicaid Waiver for their child/young adult; this helps make the necessary care and medical supplies available to our families. However, as many of us know, having this available versus receiving it are two entirely different things. Susan and David will talk through and break down some of the big topics right now with regard to the Waiver and receiving these crucial services and care - they'll talk about recent changes to the Waiver and two court cases which could impact many of us in the coming months.
 
During the episode, we discuss the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC). Their website is: https://dscc.uic.edu/ . This can get you started on the path of getting on the Medically Fragile Technology Dependent (MFTD) Waiver in the State of Illinois.

The holiday season is a time of family, friends, and food (okay, so the last one is a personal add-in). But for our family, it can be a time of added stress, questions and comments to which you’ve responded repeatedly, and sometimes a sense of guilt. We’ll talk about how we can respond to those who don’t fully understand our family’s situation without starting a food fight. Rabbi Daniel Bogard will join us to discuss the right and wrong ways to deal with guilt (internal or external), especially at the time of year when it tends to be the thickest.
 
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As we discussed, here are some of the websites that sell products that would be great for kids with severe developmental delays:
Abilitations Flaghouse Enabling Devices Adaptivemall Beyond Play TFH Have any others you would recommend? Share them in the Comments section or on Twitter.

David introduces himself and the pod; then we dive right in. Let’s face it - life is hectic. For many of us, having medically fragile family members can make things even more hectic. From having additional, non-family, people in our home to storing enough medical equipment and supplies to support a hospital; we’ll discuss these factors and how to manage them in a way that can reduce stress and make life a little less chaotic.
 
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