Let's Get Together, Inc. - http://www.lgtinc.org
Katie Beckett Waiver Criteria Changes
http://www.lgtinc.org/articles/38/1/Katie-Beckett-Waiver-Criteria-Changes
Heidi J. Moore
Heidi has a BS in Civil Engineering from Purdue. After the birth of her son Jacob, she elected to stay home to ensure his needs were met. Heidi is very involved in many organizations;last year she was appointed by the Governorâs office to be on 3 Medicaid Reform committees, looking at overhauling the entire Medicaid system.Heidi currently has an advocacy distribution list of over 2,500 members to promote awareness of the advocacy issues that affect children and adults w/ disabilities & empower parents. 
By Heidi J. Moore
Published on 02/9/2006
 
February 8, 2006
 
Dearest Advocates:
 
As you are aware, the eligibility criteria for the Katie Beckett Waiver are being revised DUE TO OUR WONDERFUL ADVOCACY EFFORTS!  Here is the text I received so far from the Dept. of Community Health (DCH) regarding those changes. PLEASE note: that this is just some of the changes and are being used to further clarify the existing criteria (and hopefully reinstate a lot of the children that have been denied):

PER DCH: We’re working on getting a public document produced.  Some of the changes (in brief) to date include:

Cystic Fibrosis: child may receive O2 5-7 days a week intermittently or continuously and/or has to be hospitalized 3-4 times per year (Column A and B).

Transplant: child who is medically unstable awaiting organ transplant and/or is in the post-op for one year post transplantation (Column A).

Premature Births: child born at 26 weeks or less gestation will be approved for 6 months then re-evaluated.

Mental Retardation: child with an IQ of 50 or below will be approved.

Autism: child with deficiencies greater than 2 standard deviations below the norm on a standardized measurement instrument in skills like communications, daily living, socialization and motor skills.  While no particular measurement instrument is required, it must be standardized and recognized widely as an applicable tool for the measurement.

Please recognize these are not totally inclusive of all criteria and are meant to further refine/improve the existing criteria.  Hope this is helpful. 

Also: please remember from my previous posting: (PER DCH) If you are in the process of being denied, requesting a fair hearing, etc......Try to stay in the "hopper" for as long as you can so your application will be reviewed with the new criteria.  If you have received a final denial, you may want to wait to submit a new application until we get confirmation of when the new eligibility criteria will be fully implemented. 
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As soon as I receive the entire eligibility criteria changes, I will let you all know.  PLEASE do not send me emails asking.......I do not have them in my possession.  Right now things are moving so fast....I'm just trying to keep up and communicate that information out to EVERYONE.  I'm currently receiving over 100+ emails a day and having a hard time keeping up. So please be patient with me responding.
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Also- Please remember to watch the show "Lawmakers" tonight regarding the news segment on the Katie Beckett Waiver . PBS- Ga Public Broadcasting's Lawmakers is on at 7:00pm (and is channel 8 of Comcast Cable, check your local listing for your channel). 
 
Hope this information helps everyone. WE ARE MAKING FANTASTIC PROGRESS! I hope this shows you......Advocacy pays off!  and UNITED....WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
 
Sincerely,
Heidi
--
Heidi J. Moore
(Proud Mother to Jacob - 6 years old with Down syndrome & Jared - 4 years old)

"Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!"

The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative.