| The brain injury waiver in Kansas was implemented 30 years ago and has allowed thousands of people to return home and become independent. Now this program faces a waiting list if additional money is not included in Governor Kelly’s budget.
Key things to know:
- The brain injury waiver is a Medicaid program and time limited, based on progress.
- People regain independence to either leave Medicaid, move to another waiver, or to the WORK program.
- In 2019, Kansas legislators championed a change to the brain injury waiver to include children and adults with acquired brain injuries. Too many children were having to go out of state and too many adults with acquired injuries were sent to live in nursing homes. The change was implemented in January of 2020 for adults and March 2020 for children.
- No money was added to the budget for the change in definition or statewide expansion of services.
- People use this program less than four years. They come on with personalized goals, work on those goals and become far more independent than they were prior to the waiver.
- If there is a waiting list, people will languish in nursing homes or other congregate facilities because they must leave the hospital or rehabilitation facility and will not be able to go home.
- This program provides far more than a nursing home. A person can receive physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, attendant care, home modifications, equipment and care coordination. All things at a far less cost than the hospital and to a far greater benefit than any facility. If people are forced to wait in a nursing home they will regress and the future therapy will take longer and cost more.
- A waiting list is never the answer. This is especially true during a pandemic when people are doing all they can to avoid congregate living.
- A waiting list in Kansas does not save money, it costs lives.
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THIS IS URGENT – PLEASE SEND YOUR EMAIL BY 5 PM ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19th.
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This email template is written and ready to send. Please consider including the following in your email:
- Please include your relationship to advocacy for people with brain injury. Example: are you a person with lived experience (person with brain injury or family member), professional or other concerned citizen?
- Two to three paragraphs about your story. Has the brain injury waiver helped you?
- Why a waiting list would be severely damaging to people with brain injuries. Time from brain injury to rehabilitation is of the essence and critical for maximum independence.
- Thank your legislators for doing the right thing and making sure people get the right services, in the right place at the right time.
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