state help, without low income requirements

Christine

Member
I was searching the web to give a member a link to search about Katie Beckett or other Long term care options and thought it might be helpful to post the link. Katie Beckett is a program, offer in most states to provide children with disabilities, including behavior disorders, with full medical, and is not based on income at all.
 

mose

New Member
My daughter was eligible for a waiver under the Katie Becket bill. It was a financial lifesaver!
We had a private insurance HMO that did not cover adequately her mental health needs.

Mose
 
I'm afraid I don't uderstand. I just read about this and went to the sites, but it's referring to institutional care? What do they mean? Is this only available in more difficult situations where nursing or hospitalization is required?
 

bigblueagain

New Member
yes most probably.......because hospitalization or long term residential care is soooo exorbitantly expensive, and also long term means just that...long term. Most medical hospitalizations generally avg a 2-3 day los if that long. Long term residential treatment for some with mental health diagnoses last as long as 6-12 months. That plus the high daily costs (and when I was precerting them we were lucky to get a per diem of $200/day which did not include physician charges or medication and other treatment modalities) make mental health an exorbitant high cost benefit for employers. Therefore most have to limit dollar amounts per life time, which long term hospitalization or residential eat up very quickly. Therefore the federal and state governments have had to get involved with help with costs. So therefore many are eligible for Katie Beckett or medicaid. So it always a good thing to look into whether you get it or not.BLUE
 

mose

New Member
My daughter was in the psychiatric hospital for only 10 days for an evaluation, our private HMO only covered 7 days.
The staff at the hospital told us about this wavier and helped put it in motion for us.
It was helpful to have the wavier since she had to be readmitted the following month for a week.

Another problem was our private HMO did not cover any psychiatric care or office visits outpatient, (a small fortune I was paying out of pocket with out reimbursement). Medicaid could then cover her for psychiatrist monthly office visits.

This is the way we have been able to use the Medicaid waiver for her.


mose
 

KATES_MOM

New Member
Here in PA any child 18 & under is automatically covered for health, mental health, eye, & dental if they have been diagnosed with mental illness. No matter what your income is. This was brought to my attention by Kates school couns. We applied and got it. They paid 100% of her Residential Treatment Center (RTC) stay. PA takes great care of their children & elderly. All the proceeds from lottery, goes to benifit older Pennsylvainians, and children What a wonderful program we have .. Very fortunate!! Kathy
 

terrip33

New Member
i have been reading all these post about katie beckett. what is it and howcan iget it for my daughter? she is 9 and has adhd bi polar diorder and possible aspergers. our insurance is going up so high that i cant afford it. i only work parttime because hubby works nights full time and someone has to be here for the kids. i am sooo afraid that in jan. we will be dropped and have nowhere to turn. she needs help. we are doing sooo good right now with medications and counciling, but if it stops we are in trouble. help....
 

PattyC

New Member
Absolutely go to your local state agency and ask them about it. Let them know you feel your child qualifies. Two of my children had Katie Beckett.

It is designed for children with special needs and possibly at risk for out of home treatment. It does not make a difference how high your income is. By the diagnosis mentioned it seems it shouldn't be a problem.

Hope this helps!
Patty
 
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