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State sued over mental health care cuts

Submitted by WWAY on Tue, 04/15/2008 - 8:59am.READ MORE:

RALEIGH (AP) -- The state Department of Health and Human Services has been sued in federal court because of alleged cuts in mental health programs. The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Tuesday that Legal Services of Southern Piedmont in Charlotte and the National Health Law Program are suing for a 12-year-old boy with an inherited condition that can cause learning and behavioral problems. The lawsuit says Devon Tyler McCartney of Robeson County is autistic and epileptic. The lawsuit says his time with a mental health worker paid by Medicaid were cut last year from 28 hours a week to 21 hours a week until he lost services in January. The lawsuit seeks class action status, saying his situation is an example of problems with the program. Agency spokesman Brad Deen says the department will not talk about the litigation. --- Information from: The News & Observer, http://www.newsobserver.com (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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medicaid

Submitted by MrsJbrewer (not verified) on Wed, 04/23/2008 - 9:35am.

I have a child with severe autism which has proven to have been caused by the hep b vaccine. This virus now lives in my sons brain and intestines, thanks to my great medical coverage and my husbands family coverage, we were able to see the specialists necessary to get to the actual cause, but still theres no cure. If I had medicare, I wouldnt have been able to go to these specialists, I know this because I have several very smart not at all lazy friends who have tried going about the same treatments, but were denied because its not something medicaid covers. By the way, nobody who has a disabled child is lazy, if they were thier children would be dead. My son isnt even four years old and our insurance has almost been depleted, which means my husband and I will eventually be forced to go on medicaid. Great. Ive peen paying in all these years, why is it so disturbing for people to have to help others? I did not ask the doctors to dammage my son with these vaccines, I was told they were safe and effective, and that they no longer put mercury in them, what a lie that turns out to be. As for people complaining about tax rebates, you obviously had enough money to survive without one, as did I but our situations are very different, it does not matter that you may have bought a car or some other expense and I bought 30 supplements that cost appx 175 dollars each, every month for the last three years,and had to put him on a very expensive diet, I guess to you thats the price I pay for being "under prepared". It makes me sick to see that people actually feel this way, and I also hope you get to one day see first hand what medical conditions can do to entire families because of one child. Entire families eventually go broke helping one child, millions and millions are spent on one, should we instead just dispose of that child? Wow people, get a grip on reality.

Unlucky is an understatement...

Submitted by MrsJBrewer (not verified) on Thu, 04/24/2008 - 7:02pm.

I dont feel unlucky as much as misled and manipulated by the pharmaceutical companies and under-educated medical personel. I was not an uneducated young careless mother who drank, caffienated, or used drugs of any type "safe" or otherwise that could potentially cause damage to my unborn babys developing fetal brain. I see mothers who did engage in these things every day whose babies are seemingly fine. This makes me sad, but where do we draw the line? these "unlucky" kids should be left to be cared for by thier incompetent parents with no medical coverage because they are lazy or otherwise unstable? I do not want to be in the same category as these people, what happened to my child is neither the fault of myself or the american people, but a poisoning by big pharma and thier associates. Gulf war syndrome... over-vaccinated people set to deploy who never actually left are getting this. The numbers where I am in Maine are one in eighty-seven who develop Autism and quickly growing. These children are sick every day, most have so many allergies that to feed them feels like were killing them, a great percentage will develop seizure disorders by the time theyre 12. If you dont want to pay for families like mine who will eventually be forced to go on goverment assistance programs to care for our children, help us in our fight, get involved, learn the truth about vaccines, look it up on the web and hold these pharmaceutical companies accountable. If you choose to do nothing youre enabling the mass poisonings of kids like mine, and you should have no say where your money goes because soon most of our country and developing countries will be devestated by autism, its an epidemic, yet its impossible to have a genetic epidemic. Think about it or stop complaining about helping these families.

The fact that a person has enough money...

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Wed, 04/23/2008 - 5:54pm.

...to survive without a tax rebate in no way diminishes the inherent unfairness of the government giving rebates only to "the chosen." I may not NEED the rebate, you may not NEED the rebate, but the government telling you that you don't deserve a rebate is abhorrent to anyone who can read the Constitution. Since when is equality and fairness based upon need? You and I deserve that rebate as much as any other American, simply because we ARE Americans. BTW, nowhere did I say that the parents of a disabled child are lazy. I referred to the "incompetent, lazy, or unlucky." I certainly don't consider you incompetent or lazy. I would place you in the last category, but that is only because I don't know your child and am viewing the situation as an outsider. Looking at your child, you would likely disagree that you are unlucky and I fully understand that sentiment. I trust that you can understand my point of view, that the government is not here as the guarantor of our happiness and success.

Medicaid

Submitted by LoveforHIM (not verified) on Tue, 04/22/2008 - 10:28am.

I used to have the same attitude as "Commonsense" until I took several economic classes and educated myself about the reality of our nations situation. Obviously, you do not have children because if you did, you would never make such ignorant statements. That's the great thing about parenting. Most of us have compassion for and an understanding about the hardships a parent faces when their child has a disablilty. No one can ever "plan" for the unexpected and it can happen to any of us at any time. It is unfortunate that you stated "You nor your family will ever be on medicaid" You have doomed yourself with that comment. Never say Never!!!! To the parents of children that have challenges: You are supported!! Medicaid is a service that is in place to help you and your children. If our government were not so greedy and capitalistic, there would not be a need for medicaid in the first place. We were created by a God who commands us to love one another, whether we have money to pay for healthcare or not. After all that is the reason why you are so angry about having to pay a mediocre amount of money to help subsidize the poor right? Your financial situation and wealth is more important than the health of someone elses child, right? That is shameful, but you will have to answer for that not I. Also, I noticed how you did not comment on the elderly being on medicaid. Are they not "deserving" either? What about the military members that are on assistance because there are thousands of them that depend on food stamps and other types of assisitance! Not your problem either? Are they lazy too? Try seeing the world from a more compassionate point of view. We are supposed to help one another. If you do not see it now, perhaps you will have to learn the lesson by experiencing it yourself. Then you will remember this post with a pang of regret. I hope your money get's you what you want!

Thanks for all that silliness.

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Tue, 04/22/2008 - 6:04pm.

Let's go over a few of your gems.... "No one can ever "plan" for the unexpected and it can happen to any of us at any time." That's total idiocy! People can't plan? Planning for the "what if" is an essential aspect of life that you should be doing every minute you are conscious. "What will I do if that child I see ahead darts out in front of my car?" "Where are the best places to place fire extinguishers in my home?" "Dad has had a heart attack - should I take a CPR class just to be ready if I need it? Indeed, when you slip on your seatbelt, you are planning for the unexpected. Here's another example of planning: "Before we have a baby, can we AFFORD a baby? Can we afford EVERYTHING he or she may need?" Not too difficult, is it? Let's continue on with your nonsense... "Your financial situation and wealth is more important than the health of someone elses child, right?" You totally miss the big picture: They are totally unrelated. Apples and oranges. MY finances are MY concern, YOUR child's healthcare is YOUR concern. Mine...yours. Yours....mine. See? Totally different issues. Meanwhile, where is the Constitutional authority for the federal government to take money from me and give it to you? What Article or Amendment discusses the government acting as Robin Hood? Where does it say you deserve special treatment above me? I thought we were all supposed to be equal...oh...I see....some of us don't get treated equally because of our incomes. We must be punished every April 15th. But hey, you enjoy that tax rebate - I won't be getting one, because I must be one of the bad guys. (So much for equality and fairness, but then again, you likely don't care about those two "inconsequential issues.") As for the elderly on Medicaid, are you referring to the cottage industry that has sprung up, with lawyers actually teaching classes on how to transfer and mask assets, so you can quality for Medicaid? Those elderly? The ones who transfer their house and land to a friend or relative to become "destitute, but then pay "rent" without ever having to move or make one change to their life? Them? Let's lay it on the line - Medicaid AND Medicare are obscene perversions of the qualities that built this nation. Whatever happened to individual responsibility, self-reliance, and families taking care of their own? Let me answer that - those qualities were murdered by weak sisters such as yourself: Sesame Street Socialists who believe that it MUST "take a village," and that individual success is a bad trait. The only economics you ever studied were penned by Karl Marx. BTW, I have two gainfully employed children with very successful careers, and neither of them will EVER need Medicaid. They're too prepared and far too proud to expect other people to assume THEIR responsibilities.

Mine Yours ?

Submitted by ArtistLight007 (not verified) on Thu, 04/24/2008 - 4:23pm.

Can you say "We" ? We are all one. There is no separation. What we cause to happen to another we intend for ourselves.

Don't you mean "ours?"

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Fri, 04/25/2008 - 7:00am.

"Your" and "mine" are possessive pronouns. "We" is a personal pronoun. What you really mean is "ours," and isn't it oh-so-easy to say "ours" when we're talking about someone else's money? I'm not exactly sure what, "What we cause to happen to another we intend for ourselves" means, but I'm sure it would impress all your fellow Muppets there on Sesame Street, where you obviously think we all live.

medicade is not our economic problem

Submitted by planet earth (not verified) on Sun, 04/20/2008 - 10:07pm.

i really dont think the persons whom place these comments have one clue as what its like to recieve medicaide or disability , its very low income its one fourth of what someone makes a whole month working at minium wage , i dont think someone whom is making 50,000 dollars a year is gonna say hey im quiting my job and faking an injury so i can get a 700 dollar a month government check with medicade as the appetizer ,but you do have people whom do breed uncontrolably and act like the government owes them medicade and welfare our economy whom is made up of politicians you vote for and we the people of the constitution , so before you blame other people for you being the worthless mut and making our economy so bad, yes you the one whom thinks they have all the breeding answers or you can fix americas problems by attacking medicade recievers the one whom will never use medicade or medicare.medicare is just a small percentage of money alloted by congress just think about all those military equiptment that we spend 1 billion dollars on one plane for the military 1 billion dollars how good hearted a country we are and spend all these billions over seas helping others before we help our own people , you know taxes are unreal i counted how many times i was taxed on my used 98 jeep i bought , well 1 tax was purchase ,2nd tax title and tags dmv ,3rd yearly property tax ,and thats not including all the taxes for 4th inspection sticker every year , 5th parts taxes, 6th dmv yearly regisrtation sticker tax ,7th fuel tax ,thats 7 times i was taxed on the same item in one year.no eight i forgot insurance tax .READ MY LIPS PLENTY OF NEW TAXES for evevry one of you citizens whom make america possible we must suffer and sacarifice but not for our own good but the good of other countrys .people we need a change in our governmental system on how our country functions planet earth is heaven itsself and how our poor lives spent here were worked to to bone and made miserable by our government and how it could be 10 times more enjoyable ,we are the poeple of the constitution and we make america what it is .lets stand together and make a change for all americans for better lives and less work.

UncleReality

Submitted by NCJadey (not verified) on Wed, 04/16/2008 - 11:39am.

You may be an Uncle ... but Reality you are not. The costs of healthcare and especially in this case are phenomenal. I would rather my tax paying dollars go for him instead of illegal aliens.

Why should YOUR money....

Submitted by Uncle Reality on Wed, 04/16/2008 - 7:52pm.

....go to pay for either?

"....paid by Medicaid..."

Submitted by Uncle Reality on Tue, 04/15/2008 - 6:06pm.

I'd say that people who depend upon Medicaid should be happy for what they do get. There's nothing worse than people who can't manage their own lives, griping and suing because the money well other people fund isn't bottomless. Don't want to put up with Medicaid cuts? Don't have kids you can't afford!

SOUNDING LIKE HITLER

Submitted by Christian man (not verified) on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 3:02pm.

So uncle i suppose you suggest just piling up all the "retards" and other "defectives" and setting them ablaze. Do you have any idea where most of the medicaid money goes? OLD PEOPLE!!!! Folk at the end of their lives getting their medical bills padded with unnecessary MRI's, hip replacements and prescriptions. Want to throw them on the pile too? Jesus would have you care for the widows and orphans, old and young, in fact he demands it. Hitler would just gas them to get them off the dole. Let's keep at our 7 billion dollar a day war going while our children suffer from forced inoculations and our old people are overly medicated so that doctors can support their luxurious lifestyles. Let's just keep our lobbyist running our country and our big business robbing the desparate homebuyer with payday lending type mortgages. Let's just keep it up and before you know it SambonistaBama will be in the Whitehouse. People are sick of the haves screwing the havenots. And if you think stuff is bad now just wait until next January. See ya in the bread line fatso.

I am sure this family asked

Submitted by Monkey1984 (not verified) on Wed, 04/16/2008 - 10:22am.

I am sure this family asked that their child was born with special needs and enjoy having to go doctors and specialists on a regular basis. That's what these programs are in place for, to help people that can't afford NECESSARY care. Both epilepsy and autism are devastating conditions, that are ridiculously expensive to treat. I hope one day you will need medical assistance and won't be able to afford it, and will depend on Medicaid, only to have your benefits cut, or that one of your family members is born with an expensive medical condition, that you weren't expecting and can not afford to pay for. Don't assume that people are leeching of the government until you walk in their shoes.

Neither I, nor my offspring...

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Wed, 04/16/2008 - 2:17pm.

...will ever be on Medicaid. It's called "adequate planning." Don't have children you can't afford. Don't do anything you can't afford. Live within your means. Life really IS that simple.

Common.... you hit a new low

Submitted by Guest787 (not verified) on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 9:00pm.

Common.... you hit a new low on this one. Even one handicapped child can wipe a famiy out. I don't think anybody plans on having a handicapped child. It's not that simple.

Of course no one "plans" on it.....

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Sun, 04/20/2008 - 9:21pm.

...but if you're going to create a life, you had better be ready to assume ALL responsibilities with come from creating that life. So if you're not ready to provide for a handicapped child, you'd be better off forgoing reproduction. Let me reiterate the key point - your child's healthacre is YOUR responsibility, and no one else's.

I agree....if you cannot

Submitted by WilmMan on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 2:54pm.

I agree....if you cannot afford children then you should not have them. One shouldn't have to rely upon medicaid to take care of their children. I can understand having a child with a disability can be a strain on a family, but if you couldn't afford the child then you should not have it. And if having a child will put you on medicaid, then you should not have it. I really is simple. There are enough jobs out there that nobody needs to be on medicaid. Those that are on medicaid are usually the lazy ones that don't want to work. I can understand where situations might arise that would put a family on medicaid, but there is no reason they should have to stay on it. I'm all for the government setting up a time line or limit to how long someone can stay on medicaid. That might force some to actually go out and get a job

Yes, life really is simple,

Submitted by Guest 3750 (not verified) on Wed, 04/16/2008 - 8:21pm.

Yes, life really is simple, it's people that make it complicated. You may have to eat crow pie one of these days. No one knows what is around the corner for any of us. What goes around does come around and that includes the ugly things we say about other people. Remember all that.

Excuse me, Barney....

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Thu, 04/17/2008 - 7:45am.

.......but WHERE did I say anything "ugly about other people?" I state economic facts, that's all. The productive members of society can no longer afford to support the infinitely growing number of people who simply breed without any ability to adequately provide for their offspring. But since you've convinced yourself that I said something ugly, I shouldn't disappoint you.... ....how's this: It's not "people" who make life complicated, it's stupid, careless people who can't manage their own life. Ah, but if we didn't have those stupid, careless people to pander to, Hillary would be teaching Sociology at a junior college and Obama would be selling cellular phone service.

I really do feel very sorry

Submitted by Guest2 (not verified) on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 7:25pm.

I really do feel very sorry for you for not having the heart to realize that there are many people that depend on Medicaid because of turns in life that they could not prepare for or control. There are so many different reasons why people can not afford proper medical care especially in this country. Health care should be provided to everybody, we are the ONLY industrialized nation in the world that does not grant this right and yet you are preaching as though you have all the answers. I would gladly sacrifice much more then we do now to help children that are born with health problems and I know that it all evens out, and even if it doesn't at least I have gone through life loving others rather then caring so much about my own finances that I wished hell on other people. To the mother with the autistic child, you are a wonderful person and good luck to your family. To the man that believes other people shouldn't have children they can't afford, think about all of the people that impact your life that would not have been around if everyone waited until they could "afford" a child. At some point in your life I'm sure one has or will save your life or the life of someone you love and would you deserve it? Should they walk away because you might be a waste of space?

So the government is here to make up for hard luck?

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Sun, 04/20/2008 - 9:41pm.

"I really do feel very sorry for you for not having the heart to realize that there are many people that depend on Medicaid because of turns in life that they could not prepare for or control"... ...and I feel very sorry that you never learned that life is ALL about planning and preparation. It's oh-so-convenient to call for taxpayer paid healthcare when you haven't bothered to plan or prepare. Reviewing the Constitution, however, I find nothing that mentions a governmental obligation to bail you out when you have an unforseen disaster enter your life. I trust the free market to provide my healthcare far more than I trust the government. The statistics from those other "industrialized nations" are frightening: Two-thirds of the colo-rectal cancers in the UK progressing to untreatable and terminal while awaiting chemotherapy? A two year wait for an artificial shoulder joint in Canada? (Why do you think so many wealthy Canadians and Europeans come to the United States for their major healthcare?) Medicare is heading toward insolvency. Social Security isn't far behind. You want a NEW bottomless money pit to pour trillions into? Yeah...great idea... The nice thing about living in this country is that you are free to sacrifice as much as you want to to help those children who are born with health problems. Feel free to give more.... ...but here's a wake up call - we are ALL reaching the same end. Every single facet of medicine is a stall. In the long run, medicine loses 100% of the time, and we die. We need to think of that before we dedicate trillions of dollars we don't have and destroy the best medical system in the world. We'd be a lot better off if we once again grew to accept that death is as much a part of life as being born.

You forgot common...

Submitted by guesty on Wed, 04/23/2008 - 10:27pm.

You forgot you are talking to a generation that thinks the government owes them something.... welfare, health care, food stamps, WIC, housing and on and on. They don't try harder to be successful when they can collect a check sitting on their butts watching Oprah. Lazy doesn't even begin to describe it. More like pathetic. And they want a culture that penalized the wealthy for succeeding, working harder or having a better idea or system. Make the evil rich pay more in taxes to support the fat and lazy. Momma needs new rims on her cady.

To the man with the silver spoon

Submitted by livingwithautism (not verified) on Wed, 04/23/2008 - 10:23am.

To the man with the silver spoon inserted in his mouth from birth- all I can say is that we are not all handed our money. Government services are there to help the MAJORITY of americans because this free market economy you praise so much is breaking down. Health care cost skyrocket every year and insurance is becoming more and more inaccesable to the AVERAGE american. People do work but the jobs that used to pay well and have good benefits are going overseas to workers that make a fraction of what an american would. But you know that right, you support NAFTA and the WTO cause they swell your bank account and allow you to complain about the average american family that is left behind while you live the high life. Its sad people like you exist to belittle people like myself who have an autistic child- but also work and have insurance for my family- but that insurance doesn't cover all the treatments nessicary for my son, but that was just my inadequite planning right? Or maybe I should have planned for my child to be poisoned by the best health care system in the world. Only the good die young, so I hope you planned for a drawn out, lonely life.

From birth?

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Thu, 04/24/2008 - 6:24pm.

Wow! You can IMAGINE better than you can read! I grew up very poor in a household where a mother raised three young kids on her own after a police officer's knock on the door arrived at dinner time one night, instead of my father. Everything I have now is due to having a great start (a mother who worked ten to twelve hours every day, but still read to me and made me read with her every night), a great education (the nuns may have been rough, but we learned), smart choices, hard work, careful investing, and a bit of luck. When my mother died in 1989, my share of her estate was worth about $5500. Wow! That's silver spoon material, huh? Simply stating that your child's healthcare is not my concern is not belittling you. It is stating an opinion that has a solid Constitutional basis - the government is not supposed to be in the wealth redistribution business. So it comes down to this - my argument is based upon what the framers wrote (and didn't write) into the Constitution.....and your argument is based upon pure emotion. In that light, I'm totally comfortable with you thinking of me as the meanest and most evil man on the planet.

Imagining...right

Submitted by livingwithautism (not verified) on Thu, 04/24/2008 - 11:04pm.

It's amazing you cling to this "government is not supposed to rules lives" arguement, but it is this same government that is MANDATING the vaccines that are increasingly being proven is causing injures. It is this same government that makes treaties that move jobs out of this country and make it harder for people to get good paying jobs. You cling to this arguement like it is a shield, but the fact still remains that it is the government that's at the root of the issue. What is really interesting is that you also keep going back the Constitution, creted as a framework to build the country from. The programs that you are whining about are less than a hundred years old, at a time when America as a whole was down and out. (The Depression in case you didn't get that far in history.) It is the role of government to ensure the national economy and provide basic services for it's people, and coming from a state where welfare is rampent I do see what you are saying. But it all comes back to that government you like to keep bringing up. Maybe if GOVERNMENT hadn't shielded pharmaceutial companies from lawsuits and created (oh yeah and this costs taxpayer money- so you might want to start whining about this to) a Vaccine Court to deal with vacine injures- Then private pharmaceutical companies- NOT THE GOVERNMENT would have to pay for the injures that they are causing. But for now the government protects these companies and allows them to continue poisioning our children with vaccination programs. Foreign countries (and yes they have governments too) are stopping vaccination programs because the occurrences of the disease they are vaccinating for only seems to spike AFTER they start vaccinating. But not ours, stopping vaccination programs would be like taking wealth away from the pharmaceutical companies, right? And we know you think they can't do that. The Basis of governement is for the people by the people. That is in the Constitution as well, BTW. In the instance of Autism the government has failed the people miserably- They shield and cover up the research which shows the damage that private industry has caused. That is not the purpose of government. I hope you would tell us who your representatives are so I can call them and see if they have received calls from a man(or women) who says that providing healthcare for people (adult or children) which has been caused by private industry is not the function of government. I will know if they say they have that you are using your powers as a citizen of this country in the way you are supposed to. I will be the first to say there are abuses of the system, I see it everyday. Government has allowed it to happen and will continue to do so. Government holds the power alone to make change to programs like welfare, food stamps, medicare and medicaid, but it also alone holds the power to regulate the people that recieve these benefits. But you knew that right? Simply put, this govenment that hold so dear and the Constitution that you cling to are the system that allows you to be successful, and causes the other end of society to fall behind. It is also the system that allows us to argue this openly. Government is that system. It is all in the way that the system is run As for your mother sorry to hear that, but mine has been severely vaccine injured due to this very government and will leave me with only bills. What I CANT immagine is someone like you complaining about getting ONLY 5500 dollars, when I will receive nothing but debt from mine and will pay proudly, lovingly, and without a single whine.

Complaining?

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Fri, 04/25/2008 - 6:25pm.

Where did I "complain" about receiving "only $5500?" Where? I made a statement of fact, that's all. YOU accused me of being born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and when I mentioned how much wealth I inherited, you interpreted that as "complaining?" How does your mind work? "The Basis of governement is for the people by the people. That is in the Constitution as well.." Guess what, Alberta? Those words aren't in the Constitution. You're confusing Lincoln's Gettysburg Address with the Constitution....and you want to lecture me on history? You believe that Medicaid was a result of the Great Depression? How about during the Johnson Administration, less than forty years ago? We are getting nowhere, madam. Obviously, one of us does have a knowledge of history, economics, and Constitutional Law....and one of us is running on pure emotion. Alas, take heart! Right now, more Americans accept your view than mine.... ...but I'll keep working at it!

Glad to Hear From Him

Submitted by Guest 45 (not verified) on Wed, 04/23/2008 - 7:47pm.

Actually, I'm glad to hear from 'ol silver spoons. If it wasn't for his opinion, I may be fooled by the right. I know how I'm going to vote! Thanks for the insight into how the Republicians think!

Except I'm not a Republican, Einstein!

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Thu, 04/24/2008 - 6:50pm.

I'm a Libertarian and strict Constitutionalist. You will find no shortage of posts wherein I criticize the Republicans for spending money like drunken sailors, and crediting much of the resurgence of Socialism on their idiocy. Since you jump to conclusions so easily, I'm sure that you're easily fooled, quite often.

Come walk in my shoes, buddy.

Submitted by motherofautistic (not verified) on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 2:02pm.

My son is ten years old and still wears diapers. He has never spoken a single word. He requires constant supervision and care. He cannot brush his own teeth or dress himself. He can barely communicate at all and has literally torn up books, wallpaper, carpet and anything else he can get his hands on. He cannot be left unattended for even a few minutes. He is aggressive, violent at times to himself and everyone around him, and extremely destructive. His normal teenage sister and brother have both had to sacrifice their childhoods helping to raise and care for him. My son is Autistic. And yes, we are on Medicaid. Now they have cut back our son's services too, and right before school gets out for summer when he is at his most difficult. He went from 20 hours a week of hab-tech service to 14 with it possibly dropping much more thanks to this cut. There are many parents of Autistics who have had to walk away from lifetime careers just to care for their child. You better learn a little bit about what you are talking about before you start making assumptions. All you reveal about yourself is your own ignorance and arrogance. If you have a problem with people getting help for their disabled child maybe you should go try and care for one by yourself for just one day and see what it's like.

To Mother of Autistic Child

Submitted by contingency14 (not verified) on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 6:35am.

I am not exactly sure what message you are trying to relay to us. First, you have a child. Next your child is autistic. Next, you receive funds that come out of my pocket to help pay for your child. Next, your other children are having to help you. Next, funds coming from my pocket start drying up. Next, your angery that funds from my pocket are drying up. Next, you think I should feel in some way responsibe for your autistic child (please think back to the night that child was conceived, do you notice I was not in the room). Now you go on to talk about people having to walk away from careers because of autistic children..HEY, GUESS WHAT. IF YOU DO NOT WANT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHILDREN...PUT AN ASPRIN ON THE INSIDE OF YOUR RIGHT KNEE AND HOLD IT IN PLACE WITH THE LEFT KNEE. Medicad was never intended to be a long term thing. It is intended to hold you over until you can stand on your own two feet (by the way, I have no problem with this concept of medicad)...it should not be paying for life long care, that is your child. That is your responsibility..no ours.

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