Financial Support for Cerebral Palsy Families
The estimated medical costs combined with living expenses of a person suffering with cerebral palsy over a lifetime is estimated at approximately $921,000 (2003 costs) not including expenses such as: • Hospital visits or residential care • Wheel chair, leg braces or walker • Modifications to the home such as wheel chair access • Medication • Adaptive equipment such as a toileting chair
The average family is not able to bear the weight of this huge financial burden without some kind of assistance. If the person with cerebral palsy is an adult s/he must have assistance from the family,
insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). There are organizations that are formed to help victims of cerebral palsy by giving away wheel chairs or walkers or by building ramps or widening doors for wheelchair access.
Malpractice lawsuit, Medicaid and Medicare are three sources of financial aid.
Malpractice Lawsuit
The time to investigate if a baby born with cerebral palsy was a victim of malpractice is soon after the diagnosis as possible. An attorney is hired to conduct the investigation. The attorney will know what questions to ask and has a medical team to determine the cause of the condition.
Do not hesitate to have an attorney investigate after a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Each state has a statute of limitation in bringing a lawsuit against a health care provider for a victim of cerebral palsy.
Medicaid
Medicaid is a state and federally funded program that provides health insurance for low-income individuals and families. People with cerebral palsy and other disabilities are eligible for Medicaid. Medicaid programs vary from state to state. The insurance covers a broad range of health care services such as hospital and doctors’ visits, physical therapy and other services that require no co-pay or deductible.
Medicare
Many people are confused about Medicaid and Medicare. Medicare is a federally funded health insurance with no state funding at all. Medicare is for people who have reached the age of 65 or younger people who have a disability (cerebral palsy included). Medicare requires a co-pay or deductible and does not cover as many health services as Medicaid. Many sufferers of cerebral palsy take advantage of both Medicaid and Medicare to help with the astronomical health care expenses.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), another branch of the federal government’s health insurance, is available to people with cerebral palsy whose income is low enough within the guidelines. SSI covers the disabled adult child who was diagnosed before age 22 and whose parents are recipients of social security. Cerebral palsy is a disability that occurs before birth, at birth, or shortly after birth so it easily qualifies.
A thorough investigation into financial support for cerebral palsy families will produce other agencies that help families meet the needs of the family member who is dealing with cerebral palsy.
