Only Anecdotal

This morning, I heard the late news that Katie Beckett had died. She was thirty-four years old, and had evidently been sick. But Katie had a much fuller, and much longer life than she might have if she had remained in the hospital where she was at age three. Medicaid paid for her ventilator use in the hospital. Medicaid refused to pay for ventilator use in the community–although it was possible–until her situation was taken to Ronald Reagan in 1981. Katie, and her mother Julie, changed the lives of so many people by bringing attention to the nonsense of funding people only to stay in institutions when care could be provided at home.

Katie is an inspiration, and this special post today is in her memory.

The fact that Katie Beckett waivers exist is a wonderful thing, but I am ever hopeful as we look to the future of healthcare, that the waiver–the exception–will be to support institutional stays. I am ever hopeful that the default setting will be to provide needed supports at home.